On a tragic afternoon in Darlington County, South Carolina, the life of 21-year-old Chandler Vershad Dylan Martin of Florence was abruptly cut short. On November 10, 2025, in the quiet community near the intersection of Piano Road and South Charleston Road, the sound of gunfire shattered the peace at approximately 2 p.m.. When deputies from the Darlington County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene, they discovered Martin gravely wounded by the roadside..
Despite the immediate response from emergency personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.. The Darlington County Coroner, Todd Hardee, confirmed that Martin's death was a homicide.. An autopsy was ordered to determine the precise cause of death..
Chandler, a Black male born on August 10, 2004, in Augusta, Georgia, was known to his loved ones as 'Duke'.. He had attended West Florence and Hartsville High Schools and was employed at Oasis.. His obituary paints a picture of a kind and generous young man with a 'heart of gold' who was deeply loved by his family and friends.. He was known for his inventive and skilled hands, often repairing bicycles, and had a fascination with cars.. His family recalled his profound love for his mother, his enjoyment of vacations, and his close bond with his father..
The investigation into Chandler Martin's death quickly progressed, with law enforcement assuring the public that it appeared to be an isolated incident.. Within a week of the shooting, on November 16, 2025, authorities announced the first arrest in the case.. Stargeria Jackson was taken into custody in the Lake City area of Florence County by a team that included the Florence County SWAT team, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Darlington County deputies.. She was charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and criminal conspiracy..
Shortly after, investigators identified a second individual, Patrell Jackson, as a suspect in Martin's murder.. He was soon located and arrested by the Lake City Police Department and transferred to the Florence County Detention Center, where he also faced a murder charge.. The arrests of Stargeria and Patrell Jackson marked a significant development in the case, bringing some measure of hope for justice to a grieving family and community..
