Shooter sentenced to 30 years for killing Columbia woman outside Colony Apartments
May 16, 2025
On May 12, Jimmy Murphy-Kelly pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The Honorable Patrick C. Fant, III, sentenced him to 30 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
On Dec. 27, 2022, dispatchers sent officers from the Columbia Police Department (CPD) to Colony Apartments in response to a shooting. Upon arrival at the scene, CPD found 23-year-old Miasia James deceased in the parking lot from six gunshot wounds.
A witness told law enforcement that James was involved in a physical altercation with a male and a female before the shooting began, and that after the shooting, they ran into an apartment.
While on the scene, officers observed a male and a female exiting the apartment that the witness had seen them enter. The male matched the description of the shooter and was later identified as the defendant.
Text messages revealed a disagreement between James and Murphy-Kelly regarding a marijuana transaction. The defendant insisted that the victim meet him at the apartment complex. Evidence indicates that James was shot within 35 seconds of arriving at the apartment building.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conducted an analysis of the gun found, which matched the shell casings discovered at the scene and the projectiles identified during James’ autopsy.
In an interview with CPD, Murphy-Kelly admitted to shooting James.
CPD Investigators Jessica Nowlin and Raven Brewer led the investigation. The Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, represented by Senior Assistant Solicitor Dale Scott, prosecuted the case.