In the autumn of 2018, the life of a young Black/African American man, Michael Luis Camacho, was tragically cut short at the age of 27. On the evening of October 25, 2018, on Charleston's West Side, a dispute erupted that would have fatal consequences. The altercation took place in the 800 block of West Washington Street, where Camacho was shot multiple times.
The investigation into the death of the South Charleston resident revealed the conflict stemmed from a transaction involving drug paraphernalia. According to law enforcement, a teenager had allegedly given Camacho money for an item. An argument ensued when Camacho reportedly kept the money without completing the transaction, which then escalated into deadly violence. Another report detailed the trivial nature of the dispute, stating the fatal shooting was over a mere two dollars that the shooter believed Camacho owed him.
Less than a week after the shooting, a juvenile suspect turned himself into the authorities.
The alleged shooter, 17-year-old Gregory Tyler White, was taken into custody and initially charged as a juvenile. However, due to the severity of the crime, the case was transferred to the adult court system. White eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder for the shooting death of Michael Luis Camacho.
In September 2019, Gregory Tyler White, then 18, was sentenced for his actions. A judge ordered him to serve 40 years in prison. White's attorney described the slaying as the "largest stupid decision" his client had ever made, a characterization the assistant prosecutor found to be an unbelievable trivialization of the violent act that ended a man's life over a very small amount of money. White was given credit for the 328 days he had already spent in custody since turning himself in.
