In the summer of 2025, a fatal encounter over a stolen firearm tragically cut short the life of 20-year-old Cameron Pearson in Sumter, South Carolina. On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 1, deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on Bluegrass Court, near Old Manning Road, following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival at approximately 3 p.m., they discovered Pearson's body; he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the
scene.
The investigation into the shooting quickly revealed that the incident was not a random act of violence, but rather the culmination of a dispute between acquaintances. Authorities determined that Pearson had arranged to meet with 17-year-old Nyasia Nicole Vaughn and a 15-year-old male at the Bluegrass Court home. The purpose of their meeting was a transaction involving a stolen firearm that Vaughn had allegedly brought with her. An argument erupted during this transaction, which escalated to the point where Vaughn reportedly shot Pearson multiple times. Following the shooting, Vaughn and the 15-year-old fled the scene in a vehicle.
Law enforcement officials were able to locate the suspect vehicle and conduct a traffic stop, taking both Vaughn and the 15-year-old into custody without incident. Vaughn was subsequently charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a pistol, and possession of a stolen gun. The 15-year-old was charged with accessory after the fact and his case was petitioned to Family Court. The investigation continued, leading to a third arrest in September. On September 18, 18-year-old Darrone Terrell McCray Jr. was apprehended in Florence by the Sumter County Sheriff's Office and the United States Marshals Task Force. McCray was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Both Vaughn and McCray were held at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Detention Center without bond.
