Weston Howard Hatchell was a 63-year-old business owner and a deeply rooted member of the Florence, South Carolina community. He owned Hatchell's Landscaping, a family enterprise that he was connected to for many years. His family life was rich and full; he was the husband of Leslie Hatchell and a father to their children, Lucas, Mayden, and Camden, as well as a son, Dylan Brooks. Weston was part of a close-knit family, the son of the late Patty Pratt Hatchell and Leslie Clarence Hatchell Jr.
He grew up with his siblings, sisters Karen Crawford and Valerie Fleming, and a brother, Leslie “Bud” Hatchell III, who preceded him in death in 2006. Through the years, the Hatchell family name became synonymous with landscaping in the Florence area.
The morning of Monday, October 19, 2026, began like any other workday for Weston, but it ended in tragedy. At around 5:30 a.m., while it was still dark, a fatal shooting occurred at the premises of Hatchell's Landscaping on South Flanders Road. Deputies from the Florence County Sheriff's Office were called to the scene after receiving a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found the business owner had been killed. Neighbors reported that sheriff's deputies and investigators remained at the business for hours, combing through the property for evidence as they began the difficult work of piecing together what had happened in those early morning hours.
The Florence County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Florence County Coroner's Office, immediately launched a homicide investigation into the death of Weston Hatchell. The coroner, Keith von Lutcken, confirmed Hatchell's identity to the public. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed later that week, on October 22, at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston to determine the precise cause of death. In the initial reports released on the day of the shooting, law enforcement officials stated that the investigation was in its very early stages.
As investigators worked, many questions remained unanswered. Authorities did not release information about what may have led to the shooting, whether there was a suspected motive, or if anything was taken from the business. There was no mention of any witnesses to the event or whether a suspect or person of interest had been identified. The Sheriff's Office did not release details about the type of firearm used or the nature of Weston's injuries. The lack of information left a void for a community and a grieving family.
In the days and weeks that followed the initial news reports, there were no further public updates from the Florence County Sheriff's Office regarding the investigation into Weston Hatchell's murder. No arrests have been announced, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the case. The community was left to mourn the loss of a local business owner without the closure of knowing who was responsible for the violent act.
The case of who killed Weston Hatchell remains unsolved. As of the latest available information from October 2026, his death is an open and active homicide investigation. There have been no announcements of vigils, memorials, or fundraisers for the family. Without a resolution, his loved ones are left to navigate their grief while awaiting answers and justice for the man who was taken from them so suddenly. The investigation continues, and the search for who is responsible for the death of Weston Hatchell goes on.
