On a late afternoon in Aiken, South Carolina, the life of 30-year-old Marquel Judge, a Black male from Graniteville, was cut short in a burst of violence. It was around 5 p.m. on February 20, 2023, and Judge was a passenger in a car traveling along the 1600 block of Edgefield Highway. Suddenly, another vehicle pulled alongside, and gunfire erupted, striking Judge. He was rushed to Aiken Regional Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after 8 p.m.
The Aiken County Coroner's Office later confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led authorities to two suspects, who were identified by the other two occupants of the car Judge was in. Following a traffic stop in the area, deputies took 21-year-old Jorge Valentino Espinoza and 18-year-old April Corlan Hudson into custody. Espinoza was subsequently charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, and weapon possession. Hudson faced charges of murder and two counts of attempted murder. The motive for the shooting was not immediately made clear by investigators.
In the wake of the tragedy, Marquel Judge was remembered as a father and a 'kind, loving person' with a humble spirit. His obituary noted that he attended Midland Valley High School and was employed by Trantech Radiator Products. He was described as a family man who loved his children and enjoyed playing basketball and singing. His sudden and violent death left the community in shock and mourning.
The criminal history of one of the suspects, Jorge Espinoza, came to light following his arrest. He had a previous charge in 2019 for the rape of a 13-year-old girl, to which he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault and battery and was released with time served and probation. More recently, just three months before the fatal shooting of Marquel Judge, Espinoza had been arrested in Edgefield County for allegedly being in possession of a stolen gun. He was released on bond for that charge, which was still pending at the time of his arrest for murder.
