South Carolina prosecutors have decided to pursue the death penalty for James Douglas Drayton, a 26-year-old man who was arrested almost two years ago for allegedly shooting and killing five individuals. The 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office recently filed a motion outlining their intention to seek capital punishment for Drayton. However, no trial date has been scheduled yet, and the solicitor’s office has refrained from providing additional comments regarding their decision.
Drayton was apprehended in October 2022 and was charged with five counts of murder along with five counts of possessing a weapon during a violent crime. The tragic incident occurred in Inman, located approximately 13 miles northwest of Spartanburg, where the victims were discovered in a residence. Four of the victims, Thomas Ellis Anderson (37), James Derek Baldwin (49), Mark Allen Hewitt (59), and Adam Daniel Morley (32), were found deceased at the scene, while the fifth victim, Roman Christean Megael Rocha (19), succumbed to his injuries later at a hospital.
Drayton’s attorney, public defender Michael David Morin, opted not to provide any statements due to the ongoing legal proceedings. Following Drayton’s arrest, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright revealed that Drayton had allegedly confessed to the murders, attributing his actions to being under the influence of methamphetamine and sleep deprivation spanning four days. Drayton surrendered the firearm purportedly used in the killings at the residence he shared, which was known for hosting drug-related activities.
After a car crash during a police pursuit, Drayton was arrested in Georgia while driving a vehicle taken from the Inman residence. Sheriff Wright mentioned in 2022 that deputies in Burke County, Georgia, engaged in a chase with Drayton after he attempted to rob a convenience store at gunpoint and abduct an employee. South Carolina, a state where the death penalty is permitted along with 26 others, has not carried out an execution since 2011. However, a recent ruling by the South Carolina Supreme Court endorsing the use of methods such as the firing squad, lethal injection, or the electric chair has paved the way for potential resumption of executions in the state.