SC mother arrested for intimidating witness at son’s murder trial, sheriff’s office alleges

The day her son was set to go on trial for double murder, Tanikka Graves was arrested.

While attorneys prepared to make opening arguments in the state’s case against Armonie Freeman, Graves was taken before a Sumter County judge and charged with intimidating a witness who was set to testify.

The sheriff’s office explained that the week before her son’s trial, Graves, 42, used Freeman’s social media account to threaten a witness. Graves allegedly impersonated her son and “sent a threat” to the witness, warning them that they should not testify at the trial, the sheriff’s said.

The witness never showed up, said Sumter County Sheriff’s Maj. Randall Stewart. Freeman was found not guilty of the double murder.

“No one should feel threatened when there’s an opportunity to do the right thing,” Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said. “When incidents like this occur, we want citizens to come forward so that persons can be held accountable for interfering with the judicial system.”

Graves was taken into custody on Monday and held without bond on one count of intimidating a witness complaint, according to the sheriff’s office.

Freeman was tried for the killing of Michael Sigler, Jr. and Christopher Antonio Thompson. WLTX reported that he was charged with shooting the two men in the early morning hours of Sept. 18, 2019.

Two others, Sierra Renee Wilson and Trayvuane Scott, were also arrested following the shooting and charged with both murders.

Following his arrest for the killings at Scott’s residence on Nov. 13, 2019, Freeman was also charged with eight other crimes, including criminal conspiracy, possession of a stolen car, intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a stolen firearm.

He was ultimately convicted of possession of a stolen vehicle and obstruction of justice. Freeman has been sentenced to serve ten years concurrently for the two convictions.

Wilson and Scott reached agreements with the prosecution and agreed to testify, Stewart said.

This story was originally published October 15, 2022 at 2:56 PM.

Ted Clifford

The State

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Ted Clifford is the statewide accountability reporter at The State Newspaper. Formerly the crime and courts reporter, he has covered the Murdaugh saga, state and federal court, as well as criminal justice and public safety in the Midlands and across South Carolina. He is the recipient of the 2023 award for best beat reporting by the South Carolina Press Association.