On what should have been a joyous celebration of her 23rd birthday, Sierra Denise Truesdale’s life was tragically cut short in a hail of gunfire in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 14, 2013. The young woman from Goose Creek was at the Starlight Lounge in St. George, Dorchester County, when the fatal shooting occurred.
The night turned chaotic at approximately 2 a.m. when shots rang out outside the nightclub.
According to a witness, the incident began when members of a group known as the Cowboys covered their faces with American flag bandanas, went outside, and began firing. In the ensuing violence, Truesdale was struck by a single bullet in her right side as she tried to take cover behind a vehicle. She died while being transported to the hospital. The shooting also left three other individuals wounded.
In the days that followed, the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office conducted an extensive investigation that led to the arrest of 23-year-old Ikeal Emar Dacis of Reevesville. He was charged with the murder of Sierra Denise Truesdale. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement indicated that the investigation was ongoing and that more arrests were possible in connection with the deadly shooting.
