In the quiet, rural town of Little Mountain, South Carolina, the life of 32-year-old Ronnion Daynell Barron was tragically cut short in the early moments of July 29, 2015. Barron was at his Ponderosa Lane home when a knock came at the door just after midnight. When he moved a curtain to see who was there, a single gunshot through the door struck him in the head, ending his life instantly.
What followed was a harrowing home invasion, where the perpetrators broke into the residence and ransacked it, stealing $200 in cash. Another person in the home managed to hide and was not physically harmed.
The investigation into the violent death of the man, known to some as 'Pee Wee,' quickly became a multi-agency effort. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from several other law enforcement agencies, began to piece together the events of that fatal night. Their work led them to identify four suspects. Investigators believed the act was not random, and that the assailants had targeted Barron's home with the intent to rob it of money and drugs.
Within days of the murder, the investigation led to the identification of the suspects. One of the men, 16-year-old Jermaz James Dreher, was believed to have suggested Barron's home as a target. He and 21-year-old Tyler Mckenzie Elkins were apprehended early in the investigation. The man authorities identified as the shooter, 21-year-old Keon Kelly, was tracked to an apartment in Columbia. On August 6, 2015, as law enforcement closed in, Kelly engaged in a lengthy standoff before taking his own life. A fourth suspect, 21-year-old DeCarolos Tramaine Satterwhite, was arrested later in August.
The three surviving accomplices eventually faced justice for their roles in the deadly home invasion. In November 2016, all three men pleaded guilty to various charges. Tyler Elkins pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, first-degree burglary, armed robbery, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Jermaz Dreher entered guilty pleas for armed robbery and accessory after the fact to murder. DeCarlos Satterwhite pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of murder, first-degree burglary, and two counts of armed robbery. A judge sentenced Elkins to 25 years in prison, Satterwhite to 15 years, and Dreher to 10 years, bringing a measure of closure to the family of Ronnion Barron.
