Attorney General Alan Wilson led the 28th annual Silent Witness Ceremony at the South Carolina State Capitol Complex in Columbia. The event, held during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, honored 46 individuals who lost their lives to domestic violence in South Carolina over the past year. Family members and friends participated by carrying life-sized silhouettes of each victim to the State House steps. A bell was rung for each person remembered. An additional silhouette represented possible unknown victims.
“This Ceremony reminds us that every life lost to domestic violence was a life of value and purpose. We honor their memory by strengthening our commitment to justice, protection, and the prevention of violence in our communities,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “Let us continue to stand with survivors through awareness, training, resource building, advocacy, and action.”
In 2023, the Violence Policy Center suspended its usual state ranking due to changes in FBI reporting methods. The Center’s 2023 report reviewed data from the previous 25 years, showing South Carolina ranked among the top ten states for women killed by men from 1996-2020. In 2020 and 2022, South Carolina ranked 11th and 23rd respectively.
A recent publication from September 2025 by the Violence Policy Center summarized national data on women killed by men in 2023. According to their analysis, nine out of ten women were killed by men they knew.
Speakers at the ceremony included Attorney General Wilson as well as religious leaders and community members who addressed ongoing issues related to domestic violence in South Carolina.
A full breakdown of county statistics is available at https://www.scag.gov/inside-the-office/criminal-division/special-prosecution/violence-against-women-act-vawa/.
The names of those honored at this year’s ceremony included Greg Baughman (Aiken County), Tiffany Britt (Aiken County), Jessica Barnes (Anderson County), Sally Brainerd (Anderson County), Keenen Turman (Anderson County), Megan Bodiford (Bamberg County), Stephanie Lewis Fries (Beaufort County), Keyona Lucas (Berkeley County), Tracy McEvoy (Berkeley County), Katie Sullivan (Berkeley County), Glendi Racancoj (Charleston County), Adrienne Seay (Charleston County), Natashia Singleton (Charleston County), Shenita Roberts (Cherokee County), Robin Gano (Clarendon County), Charity Crowley (Darlington County), Anthony Hudson (Darlington County), Jasmine Anderson (Dorchester County), George Yorn (Fairfield County), Lorenzo Durant (Florence County), Michaela Isaiah (Florence County), Derrick Jones (Florence County), Mariellen Bessent (Greenville County), Colleen D’Ortona (Greenville County), Michez Fowler (Greenville County), Anissa Henderson (Greenville County), Maria Hernandez (Greenville County), Kashandra Gordon (Hampton County), Tyronda Bellamy (Horry County), Michael Smith (Horry County), Daysha Johnson (Kershaw County), Rachel Jennings (Laurens County), Rea’ven Graves (Marion County), Leevon Griddle (Orangeburg County), Douglas Strock (Orangeburg County), Amber Riddle (Pickens County), Chandreka Graham(RichlandCounty ), Dominique Palmero Pohl(RichlandCounty ), Tiyante Lewis(SpartanburgCounty ), Joseph Croft(SumterCounty ), Jennifer Cruz(SumterCounty ), Shirley Evermon(SumterCounty ), Joan Mogensen(SumterCounty ), Antoin Demond Pugh(SumterCounty ), Sherri Redmond(SumterCounty ), Tina Norman(YorkCount).
