In the early morning hours of January 17, 2009, the community of Blackville, South Carolina, was struck by a senseless act of violence that claimed the life of a young man. Christopher Dorch, a 19-year-old male, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Corner Stop convenience store located on Solomon Blatt Avenue. The incident unfolded after midnight as Dorch was walking through the lot.
The investigation into the shooting, led by the State Law Enforcement Division, quickly identified
two suspects with the help of witness accounts and surveillance footage from the convenience store. Authorities believe that two men approached Dorch and fired several shots at him before fleeing the scene. The injuries he sustained in the attack proved to be fatal.
Following the investigation, two individuals from Allendale County were taken into custody and charged with the murder of Christopher Dorch. Tyrell Damon Odoms, who was 20 years old at the time, and 18-year-old Laparis S. Flowers were both arrested and faced legal proceedings for their alleged involvement in the homicide.
