Deputies identify suspect in connection with 2-year Sumter murder case
SUMTER, S.C. (WIS) - A man who is currently being held at a Georgia jail on murder and aggravated assault charges was identified as a suspect in connection with the murder of an elderly Sumter man.
According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), 81-year-old Stephen Collins was shot and killed at his home on July 7, 2022. He was found with several gunshot wounds by one of his employees the following morning.
Two years later, Elijah Keith Fleming was identified as a suspect in connection with Collins’ murder.
Deputies said Fleming and an accomplice entered the home on Edgehill Road with the intent to rob it. Investigators believe Fleming and the accomplice shot Collins multiple times while he was sitting on his couch.
Collins was described as a generous man.
“He was just a wonderful human being that loved this church, loved our community and he loved the Lord,” Robert White, Collins’ former pastor at Shaw Heights Baptist Church said.
Collins was a deacon at his church and the owner of Collins’ Tree Service, a business he operated from home.
Flemming, who is currently at the Clayton County Jail, was charged with murder and first-degree burglary after investigators gathered forensic evidence and a statement implicating himself.
Deputies said Fleming’s extradition to Sumter County is pending the resolution of his charges there.
The Sumter Police Department, the Sheriff’s Offices of Lee County, Kershaw County, Lexington County, Jasper County, Beaufort County, Clayton County Georgia Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted SCSO in the investigation.
“I hope this will begin to bring some comfort and a sense of closure to Mr. Collins’ family and friends,” said Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis.
The case remains under investigation.
Anyone with information that may be helpful is asked to call the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at 803-436-2000. Information can also be provided anonymously, and individuals may earn a reward by using www.p3tips.com, according to deputies.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.
Copyright 2024 WIS. All rights reserved.
