Town of McCormick sees first murder in 30 years

Greenwood man murdered in McCormick
– Amanda Smith

The town of McCormick saw its first murder in thirty years with the death of 25-year-old Billy Watson Jr. on April 4.  “A dispute went on in Gold Hill trailer park on April 3,” said McCormick Police Chief W.D. “Bo” Willis. “We have some suspects we’re looking into.”

According to Willis, Watson was in McCormick visiting a girl at her residence on the corner of highways 378 and 221 when an altercation took place between the hours of 11 and 11:30 p.m. “We’re believing it was a verbal disagreement about a girl,” Willis said.

The altercation between Watson and another girl took place earlier in the evening, and Willis said the shooting was an act of retaliation.  Concealed in darkness, the perpetrator fired twenty rounds and hit Watson in the head, Willis said. No one else was hit and Watson was shot only once. According to Willis, the weapon used was a 9mm. y’Andra Garrett, Victorious Foster, and Watson were standing in the parking lot of Garrett’s residence at 906 E. Gold Street when shots were fired, Willis said. “We believe one of the first few rounds hit him because others started ducking,” Willis said. “The trailer that they were at was shot and a bystander’s vehicle was shot.”                                                                                                                                   Watson was taken to Self Regional Hospital and died the following day.  If you have any information about the shooting, please call the McCormick police department at (864) 852-2985.

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