Laura Lee Cleveland, a 47-year-old woman, died on June 9, 2026, after a shooting at a home in the Westbrook Road area of Edgemoor, South Carolina, in Chester County. The shooting was reported around 6:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning, bringing deputies to a residence south of the York County line. When they arrived, they found that Cleveland had been shot.
She later died from her injuries, and the Chester County coroner identified her as the victim.
Investigators said the man arrested in the case was Wayne Emile Jacob, 64. According to reports citing the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, Jacob and Cleveland were significant others, and Jacob told deputies he had been with her for about 15 years. The shooting was described in an arrest warrant as following a verbal altercation. In the account attributed to the incident report, Jacob claimed Cleveland had told him the relationship was over before the shooting.
When deputies arrived at the scene, Jacob allegedly made a direct admission, telling officers, “I’m the one that shot.” Authorities said he was quickly identified as the suspect and taken into custody. The murder charge was supported by his alleged voluntary statements, physical evidence, witness statements, and video recordings. Deputies also recovered a. 357 revolver at the scene.
Jacob was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. After his initial court appearance, he remained in the Chester County jail without bail. Reports also noted that it was unclear at that time whether he had been appointed an attorney. Authorities did not release many additional details about what immediately preceded the shooting, but the available accounts describe the case as a fatal domestic-related shooting that unfolded after an argument between Cleveland and the man accused of killing her.
