In the quiet community of Conway, South Carolina, the life of 30-year-old Trisha Dawn Stull was tragically cut short on the night of January 25, 2015. A mother and a student pursuing a cosmetology degree, she was working as a clerk at the Sunhouse convenience store on Oak Street when she was fatally shot twice during a robbery. The violent act sent ripples of fear and grief through the local area, marking the second deadly convenience store robbery in Horry County that month.
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investigation into Trisha's murder soon uncovered a string of violent robberies plaguing the county. Authorities identified three suspects: brothers James Daniels and McKinley Daniels, and Jerome 'JJ' Jenkins. It was revealed that the trio was involved in a series of armed robberies, creating a climate of fear among residents and business owners alike. Investigators determined that on the night of Trisha's death, two men entered the Sunhouse store, forced her back inside as she was attempting to close, and ultimately took her life for the contents of the cash register, some cigarettes, and her purse.
The wheels of justice began to turn, leading to the arrests and trials of the three men. In August 2018, James Daniels, who acted as the getaway driver, was found guilty of murder and two counts of armed robbery. During his trial, prosecutors laid out how he had cased the convenience store shortly before the robbery and murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In 2019, McKinley Daniels pleaded guilty to murder and armed robbery for his role in the crime spree. He received a sentence of 45 years in prison. The third suspect, Jerome 'JJ' Jenkins, faced trial and was convicted for his involvement in the string of robberies, which included the murder of another convenience store clerk, Bala Paruchuri, that same month. While the jury sentenced Jenkins to death for the murder of Paruchuri, it was clear that his actions on the night of Trisha Stull's death were part of the violent rampage that led to his capital punishment sentence. The convictions and lengthy sentences brought a measure of closure to the grieving family of Trisha Dawn Stull and a community that had been shaken to its core.
