South Carolina prosecutors have announced their intention to seek the death penalty against a 26-year-old man, James Douglas Drayton, who was arrested nearly two years ago for the fatal shooting of five individuals. The victims were discovered in a home in Inman, located approximately 13 miles northwest of Spartanburg.
Drayton faces charges of five counts of murder and five counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The victims included Thomas Ellis Anderson, James Derek Baldwin, Mark Allen Hewitt, Adam Daniel Morley, and Roman Christean Megael Rocha, who tragically passed away at a hospital following the shooting.
Upon his arrest in October 2022, Drayton reportedly confessed to the killings, attributing his actions to being under the influence of methamphetamine and sleep deprivation. He surrendered the firearm he claimed to have used in the incident, which occurred at a residence known for drug activity.
Following the shooting, Drayton fled to Georgia, where he was involved in a police chase that culminated in a crash. Authorities apprehended him after he attempted to rob a convenience store at gunpoint and kidnap an employee. Drayton was driving a vehicle stolen from the Inman residence at the time of his arrest in Georgia.
The 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office in South Carolina has filed a motion to pursue capital punishment in Drayton's case. While no trial date has been scheduled yet, the state's recent ruling affirming the use of the firing squad, lethal injection, or the electric chair has paved the way for potential executions to resume in South Carolina, where the death penalty remains a legal recourse.
