The investigation into the death of 20-year-old Tavaris Jamal Dolford began after he disappeared in late 2023. A Black male known affectionately to friends and family as "Lil Drip," Dolford was last seen on South Center Road in Darlington County, South Carolina. When he failed to return, his family reported him missing, sparking a search that spanned multiple days.
The situation came to a tragic conclusion on December 2, 2023, when a deer hunter in neighboring Lee County noticed a vehicle that had been stationary for several hours on Dutch Lane, a rural road near Bishopville.
Upon investigating the parked car, authorities discovered Dolford deceased inside. Law enforcement officials from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division responded to the scene to launch a comprehensive inquiry. An autopsy conducted days later confirmed that he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Based on these findings, the coroner ruled the manner of death a homicide, noting that the exact range from which the shot was fired could not immediately be determined.
Dolford was a 2021 graduate of Lamar High School, where he had been an active athlete participating in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Following the discovery of his body, funeral services were held at the Spaulding Middle School Gymnasium, and he was interred at Sandsbury Cemetery. Despite the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies, public reports indicate that no suspects have been identified and no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. The case remains an open homicide investigation as authorities continue to seek answers regarding the circumstances that led to his death.
