A son, brother, and friend, Shamarion Owens was a young man with deep roots in his South Carolina community. Born in Bamberg on April 28, 2003, to his late father, Willie J. Owens, and his mother, Latosha Brant, Shamarion was raised in his grandmother Elizabeth Owens' loving home. He was a 2023 graduate of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School and was known to have worked several different jobs within the Bamberg area.
Those who loved him remember a young man who was cherished by his family and friends, leaving behind everlasting memories for them to hold onto.
Shamarion, a 23-year-old male, was part of a large, close-knit family. He is survived by his mother, Latosha; his grandmother, Elizabeth; a sister, Tasadia Owens; and four brothers, Gabriel Joyner, Nigel Allen, Melvin Brant, and Malachai Brant. He was also mourned by his grandfather, aunts, godmothers, a god-brother, and a god-sister, along with a host of other relatives and friends who felt his loss deeply. He was preceded in death by his father, his grandfather James Willie Way, and his grandmother Theresa Brant.
The final night of Shamarion’s life was Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Shortly before 11:00 p.m., the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office received a call about bodies discovered in a roadway. Deputies were dispatched to Spring Branch Road, a rural stretch in Bamberg County. Upon arrival, they made a grim discovery: two men were lying deceased in the middle of the road. Both men had sustained apparent gunshot wounds.
The Bamberg County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene and later identified the victims as Shamarion Owens and his friend, 23-year-old Kenneth Grant. Their families were notified of the tragic loss. The scene was processed by law enforcement, with assistance from the Bamberg City Fire Department and Thorne Ambulance Service. Autopsies for both men were scheduled to be performed in Newberry.
Due to the nature of the crime, the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office requested that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) take the lead in the double homicide investigation. SLED agents began processing evidence and looking for leads, with the sheriff's office providing assistance. In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement officials stated that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident and that they believed there was no ongoing threat to the community.
A week after his death, family and friends gathered to say their final goodbyes to Shamarion. A viewing was held on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at Dash's Funeral Home in Bamberg. The following day, a funeral service was held at St. John Baptist Church, followed by his interment at Bamberg Memory Gardens. The services were a testament to the many lives he had touched in his short time.
As of the latest reports from September 2026, the investigation into the murders of Shamarion Owens and Kenneth Grant remains ongoing. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made. The motive behind the killings has not been released by authorities, leaving a painful void for two families and a community seeking answers and justice. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office at 803-245-3018.
