In the winter of 2025, the community of Mullins, South Carolina, was shaken by the violent death of 17-year-old Desmond Dayshawn Drew. A junior at Mullins High School, Drew was a recognized athlete on the school's basketball team. His life was cut short on the afternoon of Friday, January 3, 2025, when he was fatally shot on Willie Hodge Road in Marion County.
Originally from Queens, New York, Desmond had a smile that could light up a room and a personality that made him the life of the
party. He had a passion for sports and cars, possessing a photographic memory that allowed him to name vehicles by their year, make, and model. Friends and family remember him as a funny young man who loved to laugh and was a great person who never bothered anyone.
The investigation into Desmond's death quickly led to arrests. The Marion County Sheriff's Office charged 19-year-old Bacorian O'Neil Fling and 18-year-old Tyquan La'Monte Buie, both of Mullins, with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Shortly after, an 18-year-old third suspect, Naser Delance Stackhouse of Mullins, was also arrested and faced the same charges. All three suspects were taken into custody and are being held at the Marion County Detention Center.
Desmond leaves behind his parents, numerous siblings, his high school sweetheart, and many friends and family members who mourn his untimely passing. His funeral services were held in Cambria Heights, New York, with his final resting place in Ridgewood, New York.
