Silent Witness Ceremony Honored 2019 Victims of Fatal Domestic Violence

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) –  Oct. 6, 2020 - Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 23rd annual Silent Witness Ceremony that was held today on the south steps of the State House in Columbia.

During this year’s virtual ceremony, Attorney General Wilson called the names of 36 women and six (6) men from across the state who lost their lives as the result of domestic violence in the previous year.

Volunteers held life-sized silhouettes representing victims as they stood on the State House steps. A bell was rung for each victim as their name was read aloud. An additional 43rd silhouette represented the potential unknown victims.

“It is important that we commemorate the lives of those lost to domestic violence to both honor the victims and shed light on this terrible crime,” said Wilson.

“We must recognize that we are contending with a cycle of violence in our state,” said Wilson. “When an individual is victimized, others are often witnesses to the violence, including children. We need to continue to try to prevent domestic violence while also best positioning law enforcement and prosecutors to hold perpetrators accountable.”

During the ceremony, Attorney General Wilson made special remarks to highlight the problem of violence against women. He noted that South Carolina, for the first time in two decades, was not reported in the top 10 states for men killing women. South Carolina ranked 11th in the latest national report.

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

2019 SILENT WITNESS VICTIMS

Margaret Blanding

18 years old

Anderson County

Lisa Robinson

45 years old

Anderson County

Lorice Richards

38 years old

Berkeley County

Ebony Claire

37 years old

Charleston County

De’Ja Dantley

23 years old

Charleston County

Linda Gallman

70 years old

Cherokee County

Mildred Motes

34 years old

Cherokee County

Andrel McCrorey

21 years old

Chester County

Latwanyept Stover

37 years old

Chester County

Danny Thomas

39 years old

Chester County

Jessica Purvis McFaddin

40 years old

Clarendon County

Ida Mays

48 years old

Colleton County

Jorday Nelson

29 years old

Colleton County

Sarah Nelson

83 years old

Dorchester County

Lynda Kay Shuler

54 years old

Dorchester County

Karen Simmons Yarborough

63 years old

Dorchester County

Bridget Tingen

46 years old

Florence County

Aqua Barksdale

29 years old

Greenville

David Edens

22 years old

Greenville County

Erin Henry

25 years old

Greenville County

Josephine Barton

66 years old

Kershaw County

Kimberley Alger

66 years old

Lancaster County

Victoria Sims

24 years old

Lancaster County

Roselynn Cedeno

45 years old

Lexington County

Jennifer Lynn First

37 years old

Lexington County

Joanie Leigh Youmans

42 years old

Lexington County

Wanda Reeves

38 years old

Marion County

Leroy Williams

60 years old

Marlboro County

Crystal Hood

41 years old

Newberry County

Robert McWaters

46 years old

Orangeburg County

Tracey Gillespie Nix

59 years old

Pickens County

Ariana Johnson

31 years old

Richland County

Brittany Johnson

31 years old

Richland County

Nivia Johnson

38 years old

Richland County

Christina Martin

45 years old

Richland County

Raekisha Masslieno

38 years old

Richland County

Jamaine McFadden

47 years old

Richland County

Cynthia Ohans

26 years old

Richland County

Tiana Perry

23 years old

Richland County

Angela Faulkner

47 years old

Spartanburg County

Quanisha Fernanders

23 years old

Spartanburg County

Sharee Bradely

29 years old

Sumter County