In the small town of Cowpens, South Carolina, a dispute between cousins tragically escalated, leading to the untimely death of 24-year-old Jerry Wayne Fernandez on May 9, 2015. The young man, a resident of Cowpens, was fatally shot near the intersection of Old Pacolet Road and Wood Street following an argument earlier in the day with his cousin, Bernard Dewberry, over a woman.
In the moments after the shooting, Fernandez was able to make a 911 call and identify Dewberry as the person who
had shot him. This crucial piece of information, along with eyewitness accounts from others at the scene, quickly pointed law enforcement in the direction of the 37-year-old Dewberry. The investigation that followed solidified the case against him.
Bernard Dewberry was arrested and charged in connection with the death of his cousin. During his murder trial, in a turn of events, Dewberry chose to interrupt the proceedings and plead guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The court accepted his plea, and he was sentenced to a 25-year prison term for the killing of Jerry Wayne Fernandez. As part of his sentence, he is required to serve at least 85 percent of that time before becoming eligible for release.
