Hopkins Woman Found Guilty of Murder
July 5, 2023
Columbia –Jamira Davis was found guilty of the murder of Brandon Burden after a Richland County jury returned a verdict Monday, July 3, 2023. First Assistant Solicitor Dale Scott and Assistant Solicitor Cecil “Jack” Jackson presented the case for the Richland County Solicitors Office.
Jurors heard testimony regarding the January 22, 2021 incident, wherein neighbors of Brandon Burden in Hopkins, South Carolina called 911 to report that Mr. Burden’s residence was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters arrived and were able to put out the fire but discovered Brandon Burden’s body inside. The initial assumption was that Mr. Burden had died in the fire started by a kerosene heater; however, it was later discovered at an autopsy that Burden had died of gunshot wounds. A search of Mr. Burden’s phone records revealed calls to and from an unknown number during the early morning hours of January 22, 2021. A neighbor’s surveillance video caught a car arriving at Mr. Burden’s home around 2:40 A.M. and approximately an hour later, a muzzle flash could be seen followed by that same car leaving.
When the unknown phone number was discovered to belong to Jamira Davis, she was brought in on February 1, 2021 for questioning. It was discovered that Brandon Burden had been in a long term relationship with Ms. Davis’ mother. After changing her story several times regarding her whereabouts on the night in question, Ms. Davis finally admitted to shooting Mr. Burden but claimed it was self-defense. Her various versions of how the shooting occurred were inconsistent and at odds with evidence presented by the State. The jury deliberated into the night of Friday June 30th and requested to break and resume on the morning of July 3, 2023. First Assistant Solicitor Dale Scott commends the effort put forth by the Richland County Solicitor’s Office.
The Honorable Daniel Coble sentenced Jamira Davis to 35 years in prison.