Columbia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Shooting Innocent Man

On Wednesday May 22, 2024, after a ten (10) day trial, a Richland County jury returned a verdict of guilty against Troy C. Stevenson for the murder of Charlie Jackson Jr.  The Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office represented by Senior Assistant Solicitor Dale Scott and Assistant Solicitors Nick Fowler and Joe Kreush presented evidence to the jury that on April 6, 2021, a shooting occurred at a residence on Lucille Drive in Columbia, South Columbia.  Upon hearing of the shooting, Troy Stevenson traveled from his girlfriend’s house in the Denny Terrace residential area to the home on Lucille Drive.  From there, acting on information he received regarding the shooter’s whereabouts, Stevenson traveled to an address on Devoe Drive and opened fire.  Shotspotter evidence provided by the Columbia Police Department indicated that Stevenson fired 14 times at the house at 2:45 AM.  Ultimately, Stevenson did not hit his intended target but instead struck an innocent man, 63-year-old Charlie Jackson Jr. who was lying in his bed.  The criminal investigation was conducted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  The Honorable Daniel Coble sentenced Stevenson to life in prison after the verdict.