14 arrested after slaying in Myrtle Beach area

More than a dozen people now face charges in connection with the Aug. 21 fatal shooting in Socastee.

But police still do not have a clear motive, said Sgt. Robert Kegler of the Horry County Police Department.

Kegler said the 14th and final suspect wanted in connection with the homicide was arrested around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Stanton William Squires, 19, of Aynor, was arrested and charged with murder after police found him on Peachtree Road in Socastee on Tuesday.

Squires is the third person to be charged with murder in the death of 28-year-old Sylvester Smart. Two 28-year-old Conway men, Alex Lorenzo Robinson and George Everette Gray, have also been charged with murder.

Smart was killed by a gunshot to his upper body, said Kegler. He has said it was unclear how many times he was shot.

On Aug. 21 around 2:10 a.m., Horry County officers responded to a call about a shooting on Strand Drive in the Strand Village mobile home park. When they got there they found Smart with a gunshot wound.

He was taken to Grand Strand Regional Hospital, where he died less than an hour later from his injuries.

The beginning stages of the investigation led to the arrest of Robinson, who was taken into custody on the day of the shooting, according to a news release.

Then detectives learned that other people were on the scene at the time and stole weapons and drugs right after the shooting.

Marcura Rhea Bomar, 22, of Myrtle Beach, and Michael David Walling, 32, of Galivants Ferry, were arrested and charged with accessory after the fact of a felony, which in this case was first degree burglary.

The investigation then led detectives to an address on Laurelwoods Drive in the Burgess section of Horry County, where they were told they could find some of the stolen items. On Aug. 24, investigators found about 95 grams of cocaine, 135 Ecstasy pills and two firearms, neither of which was the murder weapon.

Antoine Lamont Lance, 30, of Pawleys Island; Michael Rogers, 23, of Pawleys Island; Ashley Janay Pearl, 19, of Myrtle Beach; and Shana Renea Green, 26, of Myrtle Beach were arrested and later charged with trafficking cocaine, MDMA or Ecstasy.

Detectives continued their investigation and learned the identity of several other suspects in the shooting, including Gray and Squires.

Savannah Michelle Griffin,19, of Myrtle Beach; Russell Dale Griffin, 21, of Myrtle Beach; Alexandrea Nichole Jackson,18, of Myrtle Beach; Dalton Wade Morrow, 19, of Myrtle Beach; and Tina L. Harper, 27, of Myrtle Beach have all been charged with accessory after the fact of a felony (murder).

Kegler said that while he does not anticipate any more arrests in the case, further arrests are "always a possibility."

This was "not a cut and dry type case" and involved a lot of investigation from the violent crimes division, said Kegler.

As police interview the 14 suspects, a motive "may be able to be released at a later time."