In the late hours of a Thursday in August, the community of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was rocked by a sudden act of violence. At Steele Street Park, a place typically filled with the sounds of recreation, gunfire erupted, leaving a young man's life cut tragically short. Responding to reports of shots fired just after 10:30 p.m. on August 28, 2025, Fort Mill police discovered the body of 21-year-old Johnny Wayne Martin Cook of Chester.
He was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.
The investigation into the death of the male victim quickly unfolded, leading authorities to two suspects. Jalen Daquavious Thames, 18, of Rock Hill, and a 13-year-old male whose name was not released due to his age, were arrested in connection with the homicide. The gravity of the crime was reflected in the array of felony charges brought against them, which included murder, criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a stolen firearm.
As details emerged, a narrative of a pre-planned and fatal robbery began to take shape. Investigators believe that Thames and the 13-year-old had arranged to meet Cook under the guise of a marijuana transaction. The true motive, however, was allegedly to steal a handgun that Cook was known to possess. Prosecutors stated that the suspects had purchased marijuana from Cook earlier in the day and, upon seeing his firearm, conspired to rob him of it. They arranged a second meeting at the park that night, with Thames reportedly providing his own handgun to the 13-year-old to facilitate the robbery.
The aftermath of the shooting saw both suspects pointing fingers at each other. According to law enforcement, the 13-year-old claimed that Thames was the one who fired the fatal shots, while Thames alleged that the younger boy was the shooter. Despite their conflicting accounts, prosecutors have asserted that under South Carolina law, both can be held responsible for the murder due to their participation in the armed robbery that led to Cook's death. Forensic evidence, including a palm print found on a vehicle, has been presented in court, with prosecutors suggesting it points toward Thames as the shooter. The case continues to move through the legal system, with prosecutors seeking to try the 13-year-old suspect as an adult, a move that underscores the severity of the crime that transpired in the quiet Fort Mill park.
