In the summer of 2014, the life of 34-year-old Alton Antonio Daniels was tragically cut short in a deadly encounter in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On June 16, Daniels was discovered in his car in a hotel parking lot, having been fatally shot. The investigation into his death quickly revealed a deceptive plot that lured him to his demise.
Authorities determined that two 18-year-old high school seniors, Meleke Stewart and Broderick Roscoe, were involved in a plan to rob Daniels.
Investigators uncovered text messages and phone calls showing that the teenagers had arranged to meet Daniels under the pretense of a sexual encounter in exchange for money. Their actual intention, however, was to rob him.
Both Stewart and Roscoe were arrested and charged in connection with the murder. The investigation revealed that the two had confessed to planning the robbery. However, as the legal proceedings unfolded, the cases against the two young men took different paths. While there was evidence of a planned robbery, further investigation showed that Roscoe's involvement was limited. Witnesses indicated that Roscoe had driven Stewart to the location but left before the shooting occurred. As a result, in February 2019, the murder and other related charges against Broderick Roscoe were dismissed by the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
Meleke Stewart, however, faced the full force of the law. In October 2018, he stood trial for the murder of Alton Daniels. During the trial, prosecutors presented the text messages that detailed the negotiations between Stewart and Daniels. The evidence painted a grim picture of Daniels being lured to the location with the promise of a sexual encounter, only to be met with violence. The prosecution argued that as Daniels attempted to flee from his car, Stewart shot him multiple times. An Horry County jury found Meleke Stewart guilty of murder, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison.
