Silent witness ceremony honored 2020 victims of fatal domestic violence

Silent Witness Ceremony Honored 2020 Victims of Fatal Domestic Violence

Ceremony Held During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 24th annual Silent Witness Domestic Violence ceremony that was held today on the South Carolina State Capitol Complex in Columbia.

During the solemn ceremony, Attorney General Wilson called the names of 24 women and 15 men from across the state who lost their lives as the result of domestic violence in the previous year.

Family members carried a life-sized silhouette representing victims to the State House steps as a bell was rung for each victim. An additional 40th silhouette represented the potential unknown victims.

“This is a sad and solemn occasion to commemorate the lives that were lost in the past year to

domestic violence,” said Wilson.

“We must keep in mind that domestic violence affects people from all walks of life and we must work hard to break the cycle of abuse by understanding how violence impacts our community individually and collectively across the lifespan.”

The Honorable Alan Wilson, First Lady Peggy McMaster, Representative Ivory Thigpen, religious leaders and other community members made special remarks to highlight the problem of violence against women.

A statistical breakdown for each county is available at http://www.scag.gov/criminal-domestic-violence-in-south-carolina.

 

2021 SILENT WITNESS VICTIMS

Thembi Chalmers

43 years old

Aiken County

Jacquline Stevens

29 years old

Aiken County

Breanna Fludd

29 years old

Calhoun County

Shanta Singleton

37 years old

Calhoun County

Christopher Brown

32 years old

Charleston County

Pamela Coleman

58 years old

Charleston County

Olivia Goff

35 years old

Charleston County

Jennifer Grant

36 years old

Charleston County

Audrey Heyward

55 years old

Charleston County

Alicia Campos Garcia

37 years old

Cherokee County

Kodie Patrick

24 years old

Darlington County

Henry Williamson

50 years old

Dillon County

Christopher Curbeam

49 years old

Fairfield County

Melissa McClain

43 years old

Fairfield County

Jonathan Heiden

30 years old

Florence County

Antwanaza Cason

20 years old

Greenville County

Twana McDaniel

42 years old

Greenville County

Desmond Parks

29 years old

Greenville County

Kamesha Craig

21 years old

Greenwood County

John Logan

25 years old

Greenwood County

Timothy Bellamy

22 years old

Horry County

Brian Brady

47 years old

Horry County

Naomi Jean Morris

84 years old

Horry County

Gregory Rice

46 years old

Horry County

Lisa McCartha

46 years old

Lexington County

Walter Payne, Jr.

69 years old

Lexington County

Patricia Smerdell

53 years old

Lexington County

Maisha Burch

45 years old

Marion County

Kent Marcengill

52 years old

Oconee County

Heather Brown

28 years old

Orangeburg County

John Hubbard

33 years old

Orangeburg County

David Jones

34 years old

Orangeburg County

Kiara Richbow

28 years old

Richland County

Kornell Willis

29 years old

Richland County

Jasper Brian

62 years old

Spartanburg County

Ebony Canty

35 years old

Sumter County

Sharekia Johnson

42 years old

York County

Miranda Sturgill-Nivens

29 years old

York County

Julie Taylor

48 years old

York County

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.