In the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 25, 2015, a grim discovery was made in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant on South Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A restaurant employee arriving for her shift noticed a white Chevrolet Malibu with what appeared to be blood on the car door and the ground beside it. Inside the vehicle was an unresponsive man who was later identified as 44-year-old Garrey Sumter of nearby Conway.
Authorities were immediately called to the scene, and upon their arrival, it was determined that Sumter was deceased. His death was quickly ruled a homicide, with a subsequent investigation revealing he had been fatally shot.
The investigation into the death of Garrey Sumter, a man remembered by friends and colleagues for his kind nature and wonderful smile, moved swiftly. Detectives with the Myrtle Beach Police Department began piecing together the events leading up to his death. Through their investigation, which included reviewing video surveillance and conducting interviews, they identified a person of interest. Edward Leon Morris, a resident of Georgetown, was determined to be the last person seen with Sumter before his murder. A significant breakthrough came when Morris was arrested on an unrelated charge, and police discovered evidence that linked him to the crime scene.
Following his arrest, Morris was charged with the murder of Garrey Sumter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The evidence against him, including witness accounts and the physical evidence found, painted a clear picture of his involvement in the shooting. In April 2016, Edward Leon Morris pleaded guilty to the murder charge. As a result of his guilty plea, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, bringing a close to the case and a measure of justice for the family and friends of Garrey Sumter.
