Lexington, SC 01/26/2024 (Paul Kirby) - David James Hall, age 36, of Lexington, pled guilty recently to the charges of two counts of Attempted Murder, Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature, Burglary Second Degree, and Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime. Judge Walton J. McLeod, IV, sentenced Hall to fifteen years in prison. Under South Carolina law, attempted murder is classified as a violent, most serious, and “no parole” offense; and both burglary second degree and domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature are violent and serious offenses.
According to details of this case gathered by investigators, on the evening of June 24, 2022, Hall began texting one of the victims, his estranged wife, about a new relationship she shared on Facebook. Although the parties separated in December of 2021, the divorce was not yet final. Hall showed up at the home where his estranged wife, her boyfriend, and Hall’s two minor children were residing. He made several verbal threats to the couple, but fled when law enforcement was called. Over the next two hours, Hall sent violent text messages to the couple that he was coming back to would harm them. Shortly after 11:00 p.m. that night, Ring camera footage showed Hall return to the residence, getting out of his car, cursing, and shooting a single shot into the master bedroom window. Although no one was hit, this bullet was later recovered from the mattress in that room.
The four residents fled the home out the back door before climbing a fence to get to a neighbor’s home for safety. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded, but Hall fled the scene once again. Law enforcement left the scene at 5:30 a.m. on June 25, 2022. At 6:30 a.m., Ring surveillance footage showed Hall returned to the home. Again, deputies responded to the scene and found the car of Hall’s estranged wife, which had been locked in the garage, vandalized. Law enforcement officers also discovered 5 additional shots had been fired into the front of the home where bedrooms were located.
Deputy Solicitor Angela Martin and Assistant Solicitor Player Long prosecuted this case on behalf of the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office. During sentence, Deputy Solicitor Martin told the judge, that “this criminal behavior cannot be justified and cries out for a significant sentence even though, thankfully, no one was physically injured in the attack.”
Hall has prior convictions for threatening a public official and burglary. He was transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
Commentaires