Sasha Janel Singletary, a 40-year-old woman from Lake City, South Carolina, is remembered by her family for the faith and strength she expressed through her love of singing gospel music. Her sister, Sheena S. Jackson, recalled how Sasha would sing "I Told the Storm," a song whose message of perseverance in the face of adversity brought comfort to the family after her tragic death.
Born on June 12, 1986, Sasha’s life was one of connection and cherished moments with her friends and family, who remember the laughter and support she so readily offered.
On the morning of Saturday, October 10, 2026, Sasha was a passenger in a car traveling along Woods Bay State Park Road, near Jones Road in the rural community of Olanta, South Carolina. Suddenly, the vehicle was riddled with bullets. Multiple shots were fired into the moving car, striking Sasha and injuring the male driver. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and Sasha was rushed to a local hospital. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead. The Florence County Coroner's Office scheduled an autopsy at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office immediately launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. Investigators worked quickly, and within a week, they made their first arrest. On Friday, October 16, 2026, deputies took 17-year-old Tracey Bernard Benjamin Jr. of Olanta into custody. According to the sheriff's office, Benjamin was accused of firing a gun into the car multiple times with the intent to kill the occupants. He was charged with murder and held at the Florence County Detention Center to await a bond hearing.
The investigation continued, leading to a second arrest just days later. On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Florence County deputies apprehended 18-year-old De’Marea Key'Shawn Roberson, also from the Olanta area. Investigators alleged that both Roberson and Benjamin fired multiple rounds into the vehicle. Roberson faced a series of charges, including murder, attempted murder, discharging a firearm into a vehicle, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was also booked into the Florence County Detention Center.
In the wake of her death, Sasha's family prepared to lay her to rest. A public viewing was held on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Henryhand Funeral Home in Lake City. Her funeral service took place the following day at Mt. Clair Missionary Baptist Church, with her burial at Restlawn Cemetery. Her sister shared a video of Sasha singing, finding a message in the lyrics. "Who would have ever thought that our family would be facing a storm like this?" she wrote. "A storm that has shaken us to our core... But even in her absence, Sasha's voice is reminding us to stand on God's promises, to keep our faith, and to remember that no storm lasts forever... Sasha, your voice is still speaking, and your song is still ministering."
As of October 2026, the investigation into Sasha Singletary's murder was still considered ongoing by the Florence County Sheriff's Office, even with the two arrests. Both Tracey Bernard Benjamin Jr. and De’Marea Roberson were in custody, and their cases were expected to proceed through the court system. The case was set to be handled by prosecutors in the 12th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
