2 November 2022
Killers occurred during a home intrusion on December 17, 2019, in St . Andrews neighborhoodLEXINGTON COUNTY, S. C. — Two men have been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole following a court trial in Lexington Region for the death of 3 men on December seventeen, 2019. Co-defendants Jeremy Cornish and Justin Hopkins had been both convicted of 3 counts of murder within connection to a home invasion within the St . Andrews area of Lexington County. In addition to the murder costs, both men were billed with first degree robbery, which will carry an eighteen year sentence. Branton Booker, age 28; Sheldon Devon Livingston, age 26; plus Duwan Williams, age twenty-seven, lost their lives in the Woodland Village apartment exactly where they were staying. According to court public records, Cornish and Hopkins reached the apartment on 113 Butternut Lane, near Rose bush River Road, in a white-colored Chevy truck driven simply by Cornish. When Booker opened up the door to Cornish plus Hopkins, Booker was photo twice. Cornish and Hopkins then began firing with Livingston and Williams, who had been sleeping — striking Livingston 12 times and Williams 4 times. Cornish and Hopkins then began rummaging the house for items to steal. The surviving witness in the home could hide in a closet plus call 911 after the burglars left the scene about 11 a. m. Close by residents recall seeing a person matching the description associated with Hopkins get into a whitened Chevy truck and velocity away with Cornish generating. The Major Crimes Unit from Lexington County Sheriff’s Division identified Hopkins as a believe in the case and obtained research online warrant for his residence. While conducting surveillance on outside the apartment, investigators noticed a white Chevy pull-up and drop off Hopkins. The traffic stop of the pickup truck confirmed Cornish as the operater. Investigators then observed Hopkins leave his apartment along with two duffle bags and obtain into a sedan. A search bring about was obtained for the duffle bags and a traffic prevent of the sedan lead to the particular arrest of Hopkins. In the duffle bags, investigators discovered evidence directly linking Hopkins to the Woodland Village criminal offense scene and the murders from the three men — which includes bloody clothing and ammo matching the type and good quality of the ammunition found at the particular crime scene. DNA assessment on the blood on Hopkins’ white T-shirt matched those of Williams. A DNA swab collected from a door in the Woodland Village apartment examined consistent with the DNA associated with Cornish. In addition to the DNA proof, forensic evidence found on a couple of brown work boots extracted from Hopkins’ apartment during regulation enforcement’s search placed Hopkins at the scene of the criminal offense. An impression left on a bed room door that had been kicked open up during the incident was in line with the same size, shape, plus tread pattern of Hopkins’ boots. There was even security footage from a grocery store upon St . Andrews Road, close to Hopkins’ residence, that demonstrated Cornish dropping Hopkins away from at the store approximately 15 minutes after the murders happened. In the video, Cornish is observed driving the white Chevy truck and Hopkins has on the brown work footwear and white T-shirt. Pursuing the verdict, 11th Circuit Lawyer Rick Hubbard stated, “a crime of this nature shock absorbers the conscience of our neighborhood. We cannot tolerate assault in our neighborhoods and in the homes. Our hope is the fact that this outcome brings several measure of justice to the sufferers and their families. “Hopkins plus Cornish have been transported towards the S. C. Department associated with Corrections to begin immediate program of their sentences.