UPDATED: Two charged in child’s death, one sought; murder suspect claims he was threatened | Crime & Courts

Two people are in custody in the shooting death of 6-year-old Winston O’Conner Hunter, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell announced during a press conference held on Sunday on the steps of the Orangeburg County Courthouse.

“I promised them that those cowards that killed Winston would be brought to justice – ‘cowards,’ just in case you missed that,” Ravenell said.

Ethan Thorne Anderson, 19, of West Columbia was taken into custody on Friday.

He is being held at the Orangeburg County Detention Center on the charge of murder, three counts of attempted murder and four counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

Authorities in Ontario County, New York took a 17-year-old male into custody on Friday. The 17-year-old and another person were in Anderson’s vehicle at the time they were taken into custody.

The 17-year-old will be charged as an adult with murder, Ravenell said. His name has not yet been released.

Investigators are also seeking Michael Lloyd, 20, a Hispanic white male, on the charge of murder, Ravenell said. Lloyd stands 5-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds.

Investigators don’t believe Lloyd is in South Carolina, Ravenell said. Law enforcement agencies around the country are searching for him.

Ravenell alleges Anderson, Lloyd and the not-yet-named 17-year-old were in Anderson’s 2012 Chrysler 200 when shots were fired from three separate firearms into Hunter’s home in Woodford.

Ravenell said there is no connection between Hunter’s family and those charged in his death.

Authorities believe they have recovered two of the three weapons used in the shooting.

Within a few days after Hunter’s death, Ravenell announced that Joshua Devon Pettus of Henry Road, Neeses, was a person of interest in the case.

Pettus turned himself in to authorities last week. He’s not been charged in Hunter’s death.

On Sunday, Ravenell said Pettus remains a person of interest.

Pettus is facing multiple forgery charges in Orangeburg, Aiken and Barnwell counties. He’s appeared in court on those charges in each of those counties in the past several days, online court records show.

Ravenell said more charges and arrests may be forthcoming.

“Anyone who has any knowledge of this crime and doesn’t come forward, they will be charged,” he said.

“As you can tell, I think I’m more p – – – ed than I am hot. I really am,” Ravenell said as the sun beamed through a wide blue sky.

“We didn’t have to be here, but we’re here simply because some individuals got together in West Columbia, South Carolina and decided to ride to Woodford or North to make a buy or robbery” of marijuana, he said.

“It all leads back to marijuana,” Ravenell said, noting that both he and S.C. Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel have been fighting against legalization of the substance in the state.

“Now, 6-year-old Winston and his family’s house was shot up accidentally,” Ravenell said.

Keel spoke at the press conference, saying “This is such a senseless tragedy that we’re seeing all too often in our communities.”

“When I saw the first picture of Winston, it took me back to my two boys when they were 6 years old and playing Little League baseball,” Keel said.

“And I remember the joy that they had putting on that uniform and playing that sport and I also remember the joy that I had watching that child play. I can’t imagine what this family is experiencing right now and what they’re going through,” Keel added.

“In cases like this, these officers, these men and women, they look at these children as if they’re their own and they will not be satisfied until we have justice for Winston,” Keel said.

“I’ve been talking about this for the past few years. We have a significant violent crime problem in our state. Law enforcement cannot fix this problem by ourselves. We cannot fix it,” he said.

“Last year, I reported in 2020 that we had the highest number of murders in our state – 558 – that’s ever been recorded since we’ve been keeping records in 1960. We saw a 22.1 percent increase in murder from 2019 to 2020 and 9.2 percent increase in aggravated assaults, 52.9 percent increase in murder over five years,” he said.

“That’s unprecedented. We all have to work together. It begins with our families, parents, our churches, educational communities, law enforcement, mental health community, social services, the courts, judges, prosecutors, public defenders. Until we all come together and work together, we’re not going to solve this problem we have right now. It is the criminal justice system and we have to have it working together in order for it to be successful,” Keel said.

Ravenell said investigators got a break in the case after they were able to get a better description of the vehicle they were seeking.

Within a few days after Hunter’s death, investigators circulated a photo of a car that was spotted on a main highway near Hunter’s McClain Street home moments before and after the shooting.

SLED’s Fusion Center was later able to narrow the vehicle down to a 2011-2014 silver Chrysler 200.

After news media reported investigators were seeking the specific type of car on Thursday, Ravenell received a call from a law enforcement agency in New York City the next day.

“The vehicle was stopped in New York. They called us with some information. About an hour later, we were in West Columbia with the owner of that vehicle. He was brought in, questioned and taken into custody,” Ravenell said.

Ravenell identified Anderson as the owner of the car.

During Anderson’s arraignment on Sunday afternoon, he told the court, “When we were on the way to do such act, I was told if I didn’t act, I would be killed. I was told if I reported my vehicle stolen, I would be killed.”

OCSO Sgt. LaKesha Gillard told the court that Anderson confessed to the shooting and implicated the other suspects.

Orangeburg County Magistrate Bob Lake set bond at $40,000 for Anderson’s four charges of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, but deferred setting bond on three counts of attempted murder and one count of murder to a circuit judge at a later date.

Anderson’s first appearance in General Sessions Court is scheduled for July 25.

First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe provided a statement about the arrests in the case.

“The only comment I have regarding the defendants charged in this case is that each of them is presumed innocent in our justice system, however, I do have a brief statement for the family of 6-year-old Winston Hunter and law enforcement,” he wrote.

“First, and most importantly, to the family of Winston, I promise that the 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office and law enforcement will not stop working on this matter until everyone responsible for this senseless act of violence is brought to justice. Just because charges are brought today does not mean the work stops. This is still an active investigation and, in many ways, it is just beginning,” he said.

“Finally, to law enforcement, I cannot think of enough superlatives to express my commendation of the collaborative effort by the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, S.C. Law Enforcement Division, the North Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and New York law enforcement authorities. Knowing Sheriff Ravenell, Chief Keel and North Chief Shirer the way I do, I am confident their collaboration and hard work will continue until justice is accomplished,” Pascoe stated.

Ravenell concluded the press conference with him and Keel signing a baseball helmet with Hunter’s uniform number “6” on it. Deputies also signed the helmet.

Ravenell gave the helmet to Hunter’s brother as a keepsake.

Ravenell also said he and other law enforcement officers met with Hunter’s parents and brother on Friday night to tell them of the arrests.

Hunter’s parents told the sheriff that some of the last words he said before his death on May 13 were, “God is great.”

If anyone knows the whereabouts of Michael Lloyd, they are asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.