In the summer of 2012, the life of 24-year-old Athell Johnson of Columbia, South Carolina, was tragically cut short in a brutal double murder that authorities would later describe as a 'drug deal gone bad.' Johnson, who was paralyzed and used a wheelchair, was with a friend, 23-year-old Jamall Pratt, in a Garner's Ferry Road apartment on June 28, 2012, when two men entered with violent intentions.
The perpetrators, identified as William Anthony Wallace, 27, and DeAndre Leroy Diggs, 36,
subjected both Johnson and Pratt to torture before shooting them in the head. The two men were found inside the apartment after a 24-year-old woman, who had been injured, managed to escape and flag down a motorist for help. Both Johnson and Pratt were transported to Palmetto Richland Memorial hospital where they succumbed to their injuries on June 29, 2012.
The investigation moved swiftly, largely due to the testimony of the surviving female victim. She led deputies to the apartment and identified the assailants. This critical information resulted in the arrests of Wallace and Diggs. They were charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of kidnapping, and two counts of armed robbery.
William Wallace, described by the Richland County Sheriff as a 'career criminal,' faced trial for the execution-style slayings. During the trial, harrowing details emerged, including testimony from the surviving victim who recounted the events of that fatal day. In August 2014, a jury found Wallace guilty on all charges. He was subsequently sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole. DeAndre Diggs reportedly agreed to testify for the prosecution in exchange for a potentially lighter sentence.
