In a quiet, rural area of Williston, South Carolina, the tranquility was shattered on the afternoon of March 14, 2023, when a passerby made a grim discovery. Lying in a ditch along Kitchings Road near Old Barnwell Road was 24-year-old Javon Stapleton of Stonecrest, Georgia. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency services were quickly summoned, and he was initially transported to Aiken Regional Medical Centers before being transferred to Augusta University Medical Center.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Javon Stapleton succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 4:29 p.m. that same day. The male victim’s life was tragically cut short, leaving a void in the hearts of his loved ones.
The Aiken County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the Aiken County Coroner's Office, immediately launched an investigation into the violent death. Their inquiries soon led them to identify a suspect: 37-year-old Barry Junior Bellinger, also known as Alameen Mumin, from Lithonia, Georgia. Investigators determined that both Stapleton and Bellinger had connections to the Atlanta area, though the nature of their relationship and a motive for the shooting have not been publicly disclosed. The investigation involved the collaborative efforts of several law enforcement agencies, including the Williston Police Department, Barnwell County Sheriff's Office, DeKalb County Police Department in Georgia, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
A significant breakthrough in the case came on April 28, 2023, when Barry Junior Bellinger was apprehended at an apartment complex in Lithonia, Georgia. He was taken into custody by the DeKalb County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. Initially booked into the DeKalb County Jail on unrelated charges, Bellinger now awaits extradition to South Carolina to face a litany of charges in connection with Javon Stapleton's death. These charges include murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, kidnapping, and carjacking. As the legal process moves forward, the family of Javon Stapleton expressed their profound gratitude to the law enforcement officers and community members who worked to bring the suspect to justice, as they continue to mourn their loss.
