ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Two men have been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of a six-year-old boy in Orangeburg County nearly two years ago.
Ethan Horne Anderson, 21, of West Columbia and Jerimiah Harley, 19, of New York both pleaded guilty to murder in the death of Winston Hunter Tuesday morning at the Orangeburg County Courthouse. Both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Circuit Court Judge Maite Murphy.
The trial of the two was originally supposed to be next week but the two decided to enter a plea. Both admitted to their roles in the killing.
Winston Hunter, who was 6-years-old, who shot dead late in the evening of May 13, 2022 at a home in the town of Woodford. An incident report released by the Orangeburg County County Sheriff's Office said the Hunter family had just come home from a family gathering and Winston was playing in the house when about 21 bullets tore through the home. His father and 12-year-old brother attempted to perform CPR on the child but it was too late.
Investigators have said the suspects mistakenly targeted the home.
Surveillance footage captured a car turning onto the street where the boy lived and released that to the media, which published it on various news websites and social media. Eventually, official got a tip from law enforcement in Ontario County, New York related to the killing. That led officers in New York to stop a car driven by Harley that was registered to Anderson, who was still living in Gaston in Lexington County, SC.
Law enforcement arrested Anderson Gaston and prosecutors said he confessed to shooting at the home and also said Harley was involved.
Prosecutors also said shell casings matched firearms that were recovered during the investigation. They also said they found text messages that implicated Anderson and Harley.
Two others--Michale Lloyd, 22, of Illinois and Seth Phillips, 21, new of New York--remain charged with murder in the case. There is no word yet on when they will go to trial.