Thaddaeus “Thad” Justice Terezakis was a native of Oconee County, South Carolina, known for his connection to his family and community. A 15-year-old male, Thad was a sophomore at West Oak High School and attended Clearmont Baptist Church. He was the son of Emmanuel John Terezakis and Emily Hall Terezakis and a brother to his sisters, Isabella and Gabriella.
He is remembered by his parents, sisters, grandparents, and extended family, including aunts, an uncle, and a niece.
The morning of October 8, 2026, brought a sudden and tragic end to Thad’s young life. Around 8:30 a.m., the Oconee County E-911/Communications Center received a call about a shooting at a residence on Sherwood Drive in Walhalla. At the home, another 15-year-old boy had retrieved a Taurus 9mm handgun from underneath a pillow in his bedroom. While he was handling the weapon, it discharged. The single bullet struck Thad in the head. He was emergently flown to Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Thaddaeus Justice Terezakis died in the intensive care unit at 12:25 p.m. that day. The Oconee County Coroner’s Office later performed an autopsy and classified his death as a homicide.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office launched an immediate investigation into the shooting. Investigators quickly determined that while the shooting was believed to be accidental, it resulted from negligence. In consultation with the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, the Sheriff's Office detained the 15-year-old who fired the gun and charged him with involuntary manslaughter. Due to his age, his name was not publicly released. He was transported to a South Carolina Department of Corrections juvenile facility in Columbia. The investigation did not stop there, as authorities sought to understand how the teenager had access to the firearm.
This led to two more arrests in the days that followed. On Friday, October 9, deputies arrested 33-year-old Davina Jill Browne, a family member who had legal custody of the 15-year-old shooter. Browne was charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk of harm. According to the arrest warrant, she was aware that the teen possessed the 9mm handgun but failed to implement any preventative measures. She was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center and later released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.
The investigation into the gun’s origins culminated in a third arrest on Monday, October 12. John Devin Wilbanks, a 23-year-old from Westminster, was charged with the unlawful sale of a pistol. An arrest warrant stated that Wilbanks had illegally sold the Taurus G2C 9mm handgun to a minor between June and July of that year. He was also released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.
The tragedy deeply affected the local community and the School District of Oconee County, where both teenagers were identified as a combination of current and former students. The shooting occurred while the district was on fall break. The superintendent, Andy Smith, released a statement expressing heartbreak and assuring the community that counseling and crisis support would be available for students and staff upon their return. "We recognize that a tragedy of this nature affects our entire school community—students, staff members, and families," Smith wrote. "Our thoughts are with the families and all those impacted by this heartbreaking tragedy."
In memory of Thad, his family held a celebration of life on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Clearmont Baptist Church. In his obituary, the family made a poignant request for prayers for both families involved in the tragic incident. As of the latest reports in October 2026, the criminal cases against the three individuals charged in connection with Thaddaeus Terezakis's death were entering the judicial system.
