Stolen drugs led to a shooting and a 27-year sentence in Lexington case
Tashonby Pedrick Wilson arrived at the Boardwalk Villas on Lake Murray on Sept. 26, 2016 and opened fire on two women he believed had stolen from him.
The women survived the attack, and Wilson, 34, was found guilty of attempted murder and other charges late Friday, according to 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard.
The events that led up to the shooting involved stolen drugs, Hubbard said.
Earlier on the day of the shooting, Wilson had drugs stolen froma hotel where he was selling, according to Hubbard. He went looking for two women he believed stole the drugs. He found the people he was looking for at the Boardwalk Villas in Lexington County. The women were in a condo and Wilson busted in with a .40 cal handgun, shooting one of the women. He hit her in the stomach.
The two ran outside and Wilson gave chase. He shot the other woman at least four times as they tried to escape, Hubbard said in a statement. Bullets flew through the walls of a neighboring home. The neighbors called 911 and gave aid to the wounded women as Wilson ran off.
Police investigated and interviewed several witnesses, who identified Wilson by name as the shooter. An eight-year-old child identified Wilson, Hubbard said. Police located Wilson at the Palmetto Inn.
During the trial it was revealed that Wilson acquired the gun shortly before the shooting. Testimony showed that Wilson tried to convince witnesses not to identify him as the shooter and tried to stop them from testifying against him.
A Lexington County jury found Wilson guilty of attempted murder, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Judge Thomas W. Cooper, Jr. sentenced Wilson to 27 years.
Attempted murder convictions come with no parole.
“This case is a reminder that the drug trade is not only illegal, but can turn violent or deadly in an instant,” Hubbard said. “This conduct greatly impacts our communities and the safety of our citizens.”
Wilson has a long rap sheet, the Solicitor’s Office said, with multiple convictions for burglaries.
This story was originally published April 27, 2019 at 4:51 PM.