A devoted young mother with a creative spirit, Chloe Jade Brown was remembered for her love for her two sons and her talent as an aspiring tattoo artist. The 22-year-old from Walhalla, South Carolina, was born on May 18, 2004, in Seneca. Friends and family knew her as a loving person whose life revolved around her children, Bayler and Waylynn. A close friend of a decade, Amberly Smith, recalled her as being "so special to everybody" and like an aunt to her own children.
Chloe had dreams of becoming a professional tattoo artist and had already adorned herself with her own intricate designs.
The tragedy that cut her life short unfolded on the evening of Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in the Judson community of Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a home on Elmwood Avenue shortly before 9:00 p.m. for a report of a shooting. Inside, they discovered a horrific scene. Chloe and her 25-year-old boyfriend, Aavion Mardreckus Wright of Seneca, were both found with gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel responded, but both were pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 8:44 p.m.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office conducted autopsies the following day and officially ruled the incident a murder-suicide. The coroner determined that Chloe Brown’s death was a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds. Wright died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his death was ruled a suicide. The investigation by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office concluded that Wright shot and killed Chloe before turning the gun on himself.
In the wake of the violence, those who knew Chloe were left heartbroken. Her friend, Amberly Smith, revealed that Chloe had been a victim of domestic violence for a long time. Speaking out to raise awareness during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Smith shared her grief and her friend's story, hoping to help others. "Domestic violence is a very serious thing," she said in an emotional interview. "I would beg you to please step away, please get out of that situation because it is very serious. And anything could happen."
Chloe Jade Brown was survived by her sons, Bayler and Waylynn, and their father, David Allen Hembree. She also left behind her parents, Devin Carter and Kayla Brown; her brothers, Danny Rogers and Ryland Carter; her sister, Kyndzly Carter; and her grandparents. A private funeral service was held at the Sandifer Funeral Home Chapel, followed by a burial at Evergreen Cemetery.
The case is considered closed by law enforcement, as the sole suspect died at the scene. Chloe is remembered by her loved ones as a caring mother whose life meant so much to those around her, a life ended by an act of domestic violence that left two young children without their mother.
