Columbia man arrested in fatal shooting during late night drug deal, cops say
A Columbia man has been charged in a killing during a drug deal, according to the Columbia Police Department.
Johnny Fletcher Jr. has been charged with murder, attempted armed robbery and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to a statement from the Columbia Police Department.
The killing took place on Aug. 5, when a narcotics transaction turned into an attempted armed robbery on the 2100 block of Waverly Street, police said.
Around 4:30 a.m., officers were responding to a report of gunshots in the vicinity of the 2100 block of Waverly Street when they found Nicholas E. Bonepart dead in a vehicle. That’s across the street from Benedict College’s Charles W. Johnson Stadium, about a mile from Segra Park in the BullStreet District.
Officers were responding to an alert from ShotSpotter, a network of sensors spread across the city that can detect gunfire and alert law enforcement to the location.
Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford identified the victim, Bonepart, as a 32-year-old Columbia resident.
Fletcher, 45, was arrested by Columbia police officers and members of the United States Marshals Service’s Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.
He has been incarcerated at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County. Court records do not specify the conditions of Fletcher’s bond.
This story was originally published August 12, 2023 at 1:24 PM.