In the quiet town of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, a domestic tragedy unfolded, leaving a community in mourning and a family shattered. On November 29, 2009, 31-year-old Amanda Lashun Arnold Chapman, a Black female, was killed in her home. The day that ended in such sorrow was also the 17th birthday of her son, Ashton Arnold, who was also a victim in this horrific event.
The stillness of that Sunday morning was broken when Amanda's husband, Gentry O'Neal Chapman, contacted the
authorities to report the shooting. After making the call, he drove to the Fountain Inn Police Department and turned himself in. Law enforcement officers who responded to the residence on Allenbridge Road discovered a grim scene. Both Amanda and her son Ashton had been fatally shot. A shotgun, believed to be the weapon used in the killings, was recovered from the home. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was called in to assist the Laurens County Sheriff's Office with the investigation.
In the wake of the tragedy, Gentry O'Neal Chapman was arrested and charged with two counts of murder. He was subsequently held at the Laurens County Detention Center. The incident sent shockwaves through the community, as friends and family were left to grapple with the senseless loss of a mother and her son. Amanda was remembered as a loving mother to her daughter, Makayla Davis, and her son, Darius Davis. The funeral service for Amanda was held at Redemption World Outreach Church, and she was laid to rest at New Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Pelzer, South Carolina. The case highlighted the devastating impact of domestic violence, leaving an indelible mark on the community of Fountain Inn.
