Neighbor who bludgeoned 87-year-old woman with pickax sentenced to 45 years
March 2, 2026
Brayden Pittman pleaded guilty to murder on Feb. 24. The Honorable Daniel Coble sentenced Pittman to 45 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Pittman killed his 87-year-old neighbor on Feb. 22, 2023, in the Little Mountain area of Richland County. He used a pickax to bludgeon her from behind as she walked her dog.
Later that night, Pittman attempted to break into her home. The next day, the victim’s daughter and son-in-law found her body in a wooded area near her driveway, covered with a blanket and branches.
When law enforcement responded, deputies went to Pittman’s home, where he lived with his grandparents. Pittman gave a full confession.
Investigators found the murder tools behind a shed on his property. The tools contained the victim’s blood and Pittman’s DNA.
The Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case. Senior Assistant Solicitor Kathryn Cavanaugh led the prosecution, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department Capt. John Carwell served as lead investigator.