Dwight Alexander “Alex” Bennett, a 20-year-old White man from Landrum, South Carolina, was remembered by loved ones as a kind-hearted, sweet-natured, and generous young person. A graduate of Landrum High School, he was described as having a beautiful soul. His life was cut short in the spring of 2024.
On the afternoon of April 11, 2024, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a shooting at the Ashley Meadows Apartments in Columbus, North Carolina. Arriving shortly after 1 p.m., they discovered Alex Bennett deceased at the scene. A second individual had also been shot and was transported to a hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Investigators determined the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving several people. According to statements made in court, William Nelson Campbell, a 19-year-old from South Carolina, had gone to the apartment complex to sell marijuana. His defense attorney stated that Campbell was assaulted by people at the apartment before he fired a handgun approximately six times. Four of the shots struck Bennett, including a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.
William Nelson Campbell was arrested at the scene and initially charged with second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and several gun and drug offenses. On September 15, 2024, Campbell pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, a Class D felony, and to assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Bennett’s parents later reported that the district attorney did not consult them before accepting the plea agreement.
Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Grant accepted the plea and sentenced Campbell to a minimum of 63 months and a maximum of 88 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. He was also ordered to pay court costs. The case was closed following the sentencing in September 2024.
