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Three men were recently convicted for their roles in the shooting death of a 20-year-old during an ambush in South Carolina, according to the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
On July 17, Jaylen Wallace and Jerrelle Goodwin Jr. were found guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime by a Richland County jury, the solicitor’s office said Wednesday in a news release. Their co-defendant Y’Quantis Gilmore was convicted of failure to stop for a blue light (second offense) following the 2023 killing of Travis Prophet, according to the release.
On Jan. 4, 2023, Goodwin contacted Prophet to purchase drugs, the solicitor’s office said. Two minutes after Prophet arrived to Columbia’s Bluff Estates neighborhood, Goodwin and Wallace shot him multiple times in the head and body, according to the release.
Law enforcement officers collected more than 40 shell casings at the scene, the solicitor’s office said.
Information about a motive for the shooting was not available.
Gilmore actively communicated with Goodwin leading up to the shooting, and video surveillance captured Gilmore driving into the neighborhood minutes before the gunfire, according to the release.
After the shooting, Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputies quickly responded to the scene and pulled up behind the vehicle Gilmore was driving, the solicitor’s office said. Wallace, Goodwin and Gilmore fled when deputies attempted to stop them, according to the release.
Information about when and where Wallace, Goodwin and Gilmore were arrested was not available.
During their trial, the prosecution presented eyewitness testimony, video surveillance and digital forensic evidence, the solicitor’s office said.
Judge Chris Taylor sentenced Goodwin to 35 years for murder and 5 years for possession of a weapon during a violent crime, which will be served consecutively, according to the release.
Wallace’s sentencing was deferred pending a separate hearing because he was 17 at the time of the incident, the solicitor’s office said. Wallace faces a minimum of 30 years for murder plus 5 years for possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to the release.
Gilmore received a 4-year sentence suspended to a year, followed by 3 years of probation for failure to stop for a blue light, the solicitor’s office said.
The case was investigated by the sheriff’s department.
Senior Assistant Solicitor Kathryn Cavanaugh led the prosecution, with Assistant Solicitors Gabrielle Sharp and John Yurco serving as co-counsel. Justin Kata was listed as the attorney for Wallace and Gilmore, while Goodwin was represented by public defender Lindsay Adler, Richland County court records show.
