In the quiet town of Union, South Carolina, a sense of unease settled over a small apartment complex in late November of 2014. A neighbor of Carl Lee Palmer, a 53-year-old man, grew concerned after noticing a meal left untouched on his front porch. This simple act of kindness, a meal delivery, would become the first indication that something was terribly wrong. When the neighbor decided to check on him on November 27th, they discovered a grim scene inside the apartment.
Palmer was found covered in blood, having been shot to death. The discovery of two bullet shells near the back door of his residence pointed to a violent end to his life.
For more than four years, the case of Carl Lee Palmer's death remained a painful, unanswered question for his family and the community. The Union Public Safety Department, in conjunction with the Union County Sheriff's Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, pursued a meticulous and lengthy investigation into the homicide. The passage of time did little to diminish their resolve to bring justice for Palmer. The community was left to wonder who was responsible for the violent act that had taken a member of their town.
A significant breakthrough in the cold case finally came in March of 2019. Authorities announced the arrest of Stevie Laron Harris, who was 27 years old at the time. Harris was already incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections on unrelated charges when he was officially charged with the murder of Carl Lee Palmer. The charges brought against him included murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Despite this pivotal development, law enforcement officials indicated that the investigation was not over. They believed that other individuals may have been involved in Palmer's death and urged the public to come forward with any information that could lead to further arrests. The arrest of Harris marked a long-awaited step towards closure for a family that had waited years for answers.
