By Tony Kukulich
An arrest has been made and charges have been filed in the March 5 shooting death of 55-year-old Burton resident Steven Whitlock.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office announced that 33-year-old Burton resident Trayvis Jenkins was detained and taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop Tuesday morning, April 5. He has been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with Whitlock’s death. Jenkins is being held in the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Deputies and Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services responded to a Franklin Drive location March 5 after receiving reports of an unresponsive man in a yard there. Whitlock’s body was discovered, but two gunshot wounds were not immediately apparent. A forensic autopsy conducted two days later revealed the wounds, and his death was deemed a homicide.
Sheriff’s Office investigators developed Jenkins as a suspect in the slaying after witness interviews and evidence evaluation. A warrant for Jenkins’ arrest was signed by a Beaufort County magistrate on April 4.
Although Jenkins has been charged in Whitlock’s death, the case remains active.
Anyone who has information pertaining to this incident is encouraged to contact Sergeant David Tafoya at 843-255-3430 or Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111, if wishing to remain anonymous and for possible reward.
Tony Kukulich is a recent transplant to the Lowcountry. A native of Wilmington, Del., he comes to The Island News from the San Francisco Bay Area where he spent seven years as a reporter and photographer for several publications. He can be reached at tony.theislandnews@gmail.com.
