Duo arrested in connection to killing of teen near a Loris cemetery
4/1 update: Police say the charges against Aaron Vereen were increased from voluntary manslaughter to murder
Two people face charges in connection to the shooting and killing of a Loris teen near a cemetery on Monday evening.
Aaron Vereen, 18, was charged with voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and Tyshon Clifton, 18, has been charged with obstruction of justice.
Horry County police announced the arrests on Wednesday. Both men are being held in J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
Around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Horry County police responded to Flag Patch Cemetery Road in the Loris area. There, officers found 18-year-old Martrellyiz Vereen dead from a gunshot and lying face up behind a car. The Horry County Coroner’s Office identified Vereen on Tuesday and called his death a homicide. The coroner’s office estimated the shooting happened just before Vereen was found.
Arrest warrants state there was an argument between Aaron Vereen and Martrellyiz Vereen that got physical. Aaron Vereen then shot Martrellyiz several times, warrants say.
Police found Vereen along a dirt road near Flag Patch Cemetery off S.C. Highway 9. The cemetery is surrounded by woods and littered with trash.
Clifton was charged with obstruction for withholding key information in the investigation, according to the arrest warrants.
Officers received a number of tips, which led to the arrests in the case, according to Horry County police.
The two Vereens are not related and just happen to have the same last name, according to Horry police spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov.
In October 2018, Myrtle Beach police charged Aaron Vereen with attempted armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a controlled substance and other counts. Those cases remain active, according to the Horry County public index. Clifton does not have prior arrests in Horry County.
This story was originally published March 27, 2019 at 2:38 PM.
