Two execution-style killings in Lexington County lead to life sentence for SC man
A South Carolina man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he was convicted of an execution-style double murder in Lexington County, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said.
In addition to two murder charges, 28-year-old Damien Lavar Ritter of Estill was also convicted on counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery, the solicitor’s office said in a news release.
The jury only deliberated for about 45 minutes Monday before returning with the guilty verdicts, according to the release.
Judge Frank R. Addy Jr. sentenced Ritter to two life sentences for the murders of Samir Atkins, 26, and Elzie Mack, 41, the solicitor’s office said.
“Both of these men were executed with single gunshot wounds to the back of the head,” Solicitor Rick Hubbard said in the release.
Ritter was also sentenced to 30 years in prison on the attempted murder and kidnapping convictions, and 10 years on the armed robbery charge, and he will not be eligible for parole, according to the release.
The convictions stemmed from a violent incident that happened three years ago.
On July 5, 2018, Ritter traveled to the Glenn Street apartment of his cousin, Atkins, in West Columbia, according to the release.
A man who survived being shot during the incident provided eye-witness testimony during the trial, the solicitor’s office said.
Ritter and Atkins went into the kitchen, and the witness testified he heard a single gunshot. He was then ordered at gunpoint to the kitchen and placed face down on the ground next to Atkins’ body, according to the release.
As Ritter and unknown accomplices rummaged through the residence, Atkins’ friend Mack showed up at the apartment, the solicitor’s office said.
The witness said Mack was also ordered to the ground in the kitchen near Atkins’ body, and was heard saying, “I’m getting down, I’m getting down,” before a second gunshot was fired, according to the release.
At this point, the witness testified Ritter had the gun in his hand and was pointing the weapon in his direction. The witness said Ritter pulled the trigger and the gun clicked but didn’t fire, according to the release.
The witness used the opportunity to grab Ritter and was shot as they struggled, but he was able to escape from the apartment, the solicitor’s office said.
The West Columbia Police Department suspected the witness fired a gun at Ritter, saying officers found several weapons in the New Brookland apartment, The State previously reported.
Dr. Janice Ross, a forensic pathologist, testified that Atkins died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to the release. Atkins died at the scene, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.
When first responders arrived on scene, Mack was still breathing but the Gaston resident was declared brain dead the following day and ultimately died from the gunshot wound to the back of his head, the solicitor’s office said.
This “was one of the most horrific crime scenes in recent years,” said Assistant Solicitor Sutania Fuller, who handled the prosecution with Deputy Solicitor Shawn Graham. “Although this sentence will not bring Samir and Elzie back, I am grateful that the families now have the closure and the justice that they deserve.”
Mack is survived by a wife and son, while Atkins left behind a daughter, according to the solicitor.
Ritter was a wanted man for about a week before turning himself in to law enforcement officers on July 13, 2018, according to the release. He was represented by attorneys James Arthur Brown Jr. and Dayne Phillips, Lexington County court records show.
No other arrests have been made in the case, and no motive for the shootings was provided.
In addition to the West Columbia police, the incident was also investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office.
“The case was extremely hard-fought that took a great amount of teamwork,” Hubbard said. “I am grateful for the hard work on the part of the prosecution team and law enforcement in bringing closure and justice to the victims’ families.”
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This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 12:49 PM.
