In the quiet, rural landscape of Hampton County, South Carolina, the life of Boynton Woodrow O’Brien, a 51-year-old White male known affectionately as “Tony,” was brought to a sudden and violent end. Remembered as an excellent electrician, a versatile jack-of-all-trades, and a passionate outdoorsman who found joy in fishing, O'Brien's friendly presence was a familiar comfort to those in his community.
His life, however, was tragically cut short on the evening of Monday, November 3, 2025, in a brutal act of violence that also left another individual wounded.
The tragic events unfolded near the Whippy Swamp Bridge on Altman Road, a remote area that soon became the center of a grim investigation. When law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they discovered O’Brien, who had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead. The second victim was quickly transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries. In the immediate aftermath, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office cordoned off the area, shutting down the road as they began the painstaking process of piecing together the events that had led to such a devastating outcome.
In the days that followed the shooting, the investigation moved swiftly. The Hampton County Sheriff's Office identified 40-year-old Jerome Warren as the primary suspect in O'Brien's murder. Authorities released his name to the public, cautioning that Warren should be considered armed and dangerous and advising citizens not to approach him. As the search for Warren intensified, a cash reward was offered for any information that could lead to his apprehension, leaving a community to mourn the loss of one of their own while a suspect remained at large.
