In the winter of 2024, the life of Sherman Armand Sims, a 32-year-old man from Spartanburg, South Carolina, was tragically cut short. On the afternoon of Thursday, December 12th, Spartanburg County deputies were dispatched to a local motel, the HomeTowne Studios on Mobile Drive, following a distressing 911 call. The caller, 30-year-old Kayla Michelle Benton, claimed to have shot two people inside one of the motel rooms.
Upon their arrival at approximately 3:45 p.m., law enforcement
discovered a grim scene. Inside the room, they found the bodies of Sherman Sims and a woman, 38-year-old Susan Marie Gonzalez, also from Spartanburg. Both had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced deceased at the scene. The initial investigation quickly led deputies to a nearby apartment complex where they located Benton and took her into custody for questioning.
During her interview with investigators, Benton alleged that the shootings were an act of self-defense. However, the evidence collected at the motel room contradicted her account of the events. Detectives determined that Sims, Gonzalez, and Benton were all acquainted and had been together for about a day leading up to the fatal incident. It was reported that during this time, a series of verbal and physical altercations had occurred, with alcohol believed to have been a contributing factor.
Based on the evidence and her statement, Kayla Michelle Benton was arrested and faced serious charges. She was charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Sherman Sims and Susan Gonzalez. Additionally, she was charged with possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and possession of a firearm by a felon. Following her arrest, Benton was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center as the investigation by the Sheriff's Office continued.
