On a summer day in Holly Hill, South Carolina, a quiet rural home on Old State Road became the scene of a horrific discovery. On July 15, 2015, Jerome Butler, a 58-year-old male, was found deceased on the front lawn of the residence. Inside the home, law enforcement found three other victims: 28-year-old Krystal Hutto, 17-year-old Shamekia Sanders, and 14-year-old Tamara Perry. All four individuals had been shot to death.
An 8-year-old boy was also found in the home with a gunshot wound but miraculously survived the attack.
The investigation into the quadruple homicide led authorities to believe that the motive was related to drugs. While not a suspect in the killings, the father of three of the victims was arrested on drug charges and for obstructing the investigation, with law enforcement stating his lifestyle had put his family in jeopardy. Another individual was also charged with obstruction of justice for impeding the investigation. As the case progressed, a car seen at the house was discovered burned out approximately 15 miles away, adding another layer to the complex investigation.
More than a year after the brutal killings, arrests were made in the case. Three men, Robert Bailey, Luther Smith, and Antly Scott, were charged with the murders. A fourth individual, Derrick Coleman, was also implicated and ultimately testified for the prosecution. According to Coleman's testimony, he drove the vehicle that night but did not enter the home. He recounted that Scott confessed to the killings moments after they occurred.
In February 2022, a jury convicted Robert Bailey, Luther Smith, and Antly Scott on multiple counts, including murder and attempted murder. All three men were subsequently sentenced to life in prison. The trial, which lasted over two weeks, brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims and the Holly Hill community, which had been shaken by the violent deaths of four of its own.
