Lexington, SC 03/18/2025 - Robert Allen Gaffney, a 38-year-old man from Lexington County, has been convicted of Attempted Murder following a plea entered on Thursday, March 13, 2025. The Honorable Walton J. McLeod IV sentenced Gaffney to twenty-five (25) years in prison. Under South Carolina law, the Attempted Murder charge is classified as a violent crime and is a “no parole” offense. There were no plea negotiations on this charge.
This case was prosecuted by 11th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Whitney Taylor. This case was investigated by Inv. Brandon Kinder of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
On May 26, 2023, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call reporting that a woman had been assaulted by her boyfriend and was bleeding profusely. Deputies responded to the call and found the victim covered in blood with numerous lacerations and gaping wounds to her face, neck, and chest. She appeared to be terrified and in shock, due to the extent of her injuries.
Law enforcement determined that Gaffney used a box cutter to cut and stab the victim over twenty times in an unprovoked attack. Additionally, the Defendant used his fist to strike her in the head as he assaulted her with the box cutter. The victim was immediately transported to the hospital for treatment due to the severity of her injuries, which later included surgery to treat her wounds.
Following the violent assault, Gaffney fled the scene and was eventually located outside of Lexington County. When he was apprehended by law enforcement, a large amount of blood was located both inside of his car and on his clothing. After being taken into custody, Gaffney confessed to stabbing the victim multiple times.
Crime Scene Investigators discovered that within an hour before the stabbing, Gaffney had conducted multiple internet searches regarding ways to murder someone. Additionally, Gaffney confessed to a family member by stating “my full intentions were to kill her.”
Gaffney has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
