SC man sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder and attempted murder of security guards
Colleton County June 21 2018
A Walterboro man will serve 40 years in prison after being convicted of murder and attempted murder for shooting two security guards outside of a nightclub in Colleton County two years ago, according to a 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office news release.
Andre Nicholas Crawford, 25, was found guilty Thursday of killing Jesse Guy, 30, and attempting to kill Bruce Martin, who were both security guards at Club Leon’s in Round O, the release said. Crawford was also found guilty of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime and of obstructing justice.
The guards had tried to break up a fight between Crawford’s brother and another person outside the club around closing time on May 28, 2016. Crawford, who was standing nearby, shot both guards after one Tased his brother, the release said.
A key piece of evidence came in the form of a bullet extracted from survivor Martin’s body, the release said.
The trial was originally scheduled for December, but was delayed so that bullet could be removed. In surgeries immediately after the shootings, doctors could not remove it since it was lodged against Martin’s liver. Over time, however, the bullet shifted and was safely removed, the release said.
Although the murder weapon Crawford used was never found, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division confirmed the bullet extracted from Martin’s body was fired from the same gun as the bullet that struck and killed Guy, the release said.
Martin also identified Crawford as the shooter during the trial this week.
Crawford will serve 35 years for murder, 30 years for attempted murder, and 10 years for obstruction of justice, the release said. Those terms will be served concurrently. The additional five years Crawford received for the weapons charges will be served consecutively.
