In a quiet neighborhood in Beaufort, South Carolina, a bitter child-custody dispute culminated in the tragic death of 30-year-old Nicholas Hector Degros. On the evening of January 9, 2015, Degros was gunned down outside his home on the corner of Washington and Wilmington streets. He was shot twice in the back of the head and once more in what was described as an execution-style manner.
The brutal nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the community and left his five children fatherless.
The subsequent investigation swiftly zeroed in on two individuals: Jasmine Nicole Femia, then 21, the mother of Degros's 2-year-old son, and her 38-year-old boyfriend, Anthony Clyde Ellison. Authorities discovered that the murder was the result of a meticulously planned plot orchestrated by Femia to prevent Degros from attending a Family Court hearing regarding visitation rights for their son, which was scheduled for just days after the shooting.
Evidence revealed that Femia was the mastermind behind the murder. She purchased the gun, rented the car used in the commission of the crime, and familiarized Ellison with the location of Degros's home. On the night of the murder, Ellison ambushed Degros, fatally shooting him. In an attempt to create an alibi, Femia and Ellison went to a local Walmart after the killing.
During the investigation, a witness came forward, stating they had overheard Femia planning to kill Degros. Initially, Ellison confessed to the crime in an attempt to protect Femia, but he later retracted his confession and tried to deflect blame by fabricating a story about a mob hit. However, his testimony during Femia's trial proved to be a critical component of the prosecution's case.
In August 2016, Jasmine Femia was found guilty of murder and conspiracy. Described by the prosecution as a 'master of manipulation,' she was sentenced to 50 years in prison—45 years for murder and five for conspiracy. Anthony Ellison, in exchange for his testimony against Femia, accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 38 years in prison for his role as the triggerman. The resolution of the case brought a sense of justice to the family of Nicholas Degros, though the profound loss of a son, father, and friend remains.
