Horry County asks for SLED, governor to reopen shooting death case of Scott Spivey
Horry County has sent a letter to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division asking for the agency to reopen the shooting death of Scott Spivey.
A letter from County Administrator Barry Spivey was sent Thursday to SLED Chief Mark Keel asking for the agency to reopen the shooting death of the North Carolina man and become the lead investigating agency since the appearance of a conflict of interest still exists within the Horry County Police Department.
Barry Spivey and Scott Spivey’s family are not related.
Horry County Police Chief Kris Leonhardt announced March 11, 2025, that the department requested the case be reviewed once more by both the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the FBI.
The request was made after Horry County received continuing questions related to Spivey’s shooting on Camp Swamp Road in September 2023. The shooting was previously reviewed by SLED and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, which decided there was not enough evidence to charge Spivey’s two shooters.
Weldon Boyd, who owns the North Myrtle Beach restaurant Buoys on the Boulevard, and Kenneth “Bradley” Williams shot and killed Spivey after what police said was a road rage incident. Both men have claimed self-defense in the shooting.
Horry County Police announced in March that Deputy Chief Brandon Strickland was under investigation for alleged misconduct regarding the shooting that killed the 33-year-old Tabor City man. Strickland resigned on March 10, 2025.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Thursday that it has opened an investigation involving Brandon Strickland and his conduct as it pertains to the investigation involving the death of Scott Spivey, said SLED spokesperson Renée Wunderlich by email.
The agency has not reopened the death investigation, Wunderlich said.
Horry County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner also sent a letter to the Governor’s Office asking for Gov. Henry McMaster to assist in reopening the case and conducting an investigation with “an outside agency of your discretion.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM.
