Silent Witness Ceremony Honored 2022 Victims of Fatal Domestic Violence

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - Attorney General Alan Wilson led participants through the 25th annual Silent Witness Domestic Violence ceremony that was held today at the South Carolina State Capitol Complex in Columbia.

 

During the solemn ceremony, Attorney General Wilson called the names of thirty-seven (37) women and twelve (12) 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 fiftieth (50) 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.

 

“In this year’s Violence Policy Center report, South Carolina (based on 2020 data) ranked 23rd in the nation in the rate of men killing women. This is the second time in two decades that South Carolina has not been in the top 10 in their report, having ranked 11th in 2020.

 

“Domestic violence affects people from all walks of life and impacts our community individually and collectively across the lifespan. Now, more than ever, we must continue working toward violence-free communities to interrupt and end the cycle of abuse. We must strategically target our youth through comprehensive prevention education and continue to build out a coordinated network of stakeholders in our response strategy,” Attorney General Wilson said.

 

The Honorable Alan Wilson, Senator Katrina Shealy, 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.

 

2022 SILENT WITNESS VICTIMS

Amber Morris

25 years old

Anderson County

 

Jessica Ancrum

35 years old

Berkeley County

 

Marie De La Cruz Chavarria

30 years old

Berkeley County

 

Sherwood Johnson

37 years old

Berkeley County

 

Chanel Crawford

34 years old

Charleston County

 

Toni Frasier

28 years old

Charleston County

 

Andrea Reynolds

26 years old

Charleston County

 

Anissa Shank

18 years old

Charleston County

 

Michael Warren

29 years old

Charleston County

 

Eugene Simpson

33 years old

Chester County

 

Tranyah Faulk

27 years old

Colleton County

 

Patricia Grooms

32 years old

Colleton County

 

Donasia Holloway-Epps

22 years old

Colleton County

 

Caleb James

18 years old

Darlington County

 

Shanice Williams

22 years old

Darlington County

 

Kimberly Walker

36 years old

Dorchester County

 

Brandi Bearden

32 years old

Edgefield County

 

Jasmine Davis

20 years old

Florence County

 

Katelynn Schippnick

31 years old

Florence County

 

Hazel Daniels

71 years old

Georgetown County

 

Makayla Brown

25 years old

Greenville County

 

Stephanie Bridgeman

39 years old

Greenville County

 

Marie Hill

37 years old

Greenville County

 

Ariel Beeks

23 years old

Greenwood County

 

Alfred Jarrell

52 years old

Hampton County

 

Tiffany Guinn

49 years old

Horry County

 

Marlon Johnson

65 years old

Laurens County

 

Sharde Swinger

34 years old

Laurens County

 

Jazzmyne Green

25 years old

Lexington County

 

Kia Riley

28 years old

Lexington County

 

Tremayne Rogers

48 years old

Marion County

 

Lasha Rowell

25 years old

Marion County

 

Gloria Swinton

23 years old

Marion County

 

Frelena Amous

48 years old

Orangeburg County

 

Augustin Demsa

42 years old

Pickens County

 

Gerald Knighter

33 years old

Richland County

 

Dre’Quan McKinley

25 years old

Richland County

 

Phyllis Sprague

86 years old

Richland County

 

Andre Young

50 years old

Richland County

 

Ellen Anderson

66 years old

Spartanburg County

 

Patricia Berry

65 years old

Spartanburg County

 

Christine Geiersbach

51 years old

Spartanburg County

 

Tammie Mckean

48 years old

Spartanburg County

 

Shameka Dantzler

36 years old

Sumter County

 

Jarvis Hudson

27 years old

Sumter County

 

Shameka Nathaniel

33 years old

Sumter County

 

Cashell Woods

48 years old

Sumter County

 

Brittany Hardy

23 years old

York County

 

Connie Heraly

52 years old

York County