Greenwood, SC – A North Carolina man convicted of shooting a woman in the head and attempting to stage the scene to appear as self-defense has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, prosecutors announced Friday.
Wilson Justice Xavier Smith, 27, was found guilty by a Greenwood County jury of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime following a two-week trial and more than 10 hours of deliberation. Circuit Judge Donald B. Hocker sentenced Smith to 40 years on the murder count and five years on the weapon charge, to run concurrently. Under South Carolina law, Smith must serve the sentence day-for-day without the possibility of parole.
The case stemmed from a December 2022 shooting at Burfield Apartments on Cambridge Avenue East. Smith called 911, claiming he shot 22-year-old Ahkeyra Raysor after she allegedly fired a shotgun at him. Responding officers found Raysor on a bed with a gunshot wound to the head and a shotgun placed across her body. She later died at Self Regional Medical Center.
Investigators quickly grew suspicious of Smith’s account. Forensic testing revealed Raysor’s DNA was not on the shotgun Smith claimed she fired, but his was, along with traces from three unidentified individuals. Witness statements also conflicted with Smith’s version of events, and police later discovered that the murder weapon had been removed from the scene at Smith’s direction.
Deputy Solicitor Yates Brown and Assistant Solicitor Madison Hoffman prosecuted the case with support from 8th Circuit investigators and victim advocates. Solicitor David M. Stumbo praised the collaborative effort that led to the conviction, calling the crime “a calculated and violent act followed by a deliberate attempt to deceive law enforcement and escape responsibility.”
Key points:
- Wilson Justice Xavier Smith, 27, convicted of murder and weapons charges in Greenwood County
- Smith fatally shot 22-year-old Ahkeyra Raysor and staged the scene to look like self-defense
- Sentenced to 40 years in prison with no chance of parole under South Carolina law
Stumbo said the verdict ensures accountability and sends a message that attempts to mislead investigators will not shield violent offenders from justice.