Three arrested after Myrtle Beach drug deal turned homicide, police say
Three people have been arrested in connection to a double homicide in Myrtle Beach this week.
The names and charges of the people in custody have not been released by Myrtle Beach police yet. This is usually done after formal charges are announced.
The victims were identified Friday.
The Horry County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims of Thursday night’s double homicide as Ja’Leel Stephens, 19, and Kanon Cook Melvin, 21. Stephens and Melvin were both from Fayetteville, N.C., according to Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard.
Stephens and Melvin were fatally shot about 8:15 p.m. at Willoughby Lane, which is near the intersection of 44th Avenue and Robert Grissom Parkway, said Cpl. Tom Vest with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
The shooting happened after a fight broke out concerning a drug deal, police said. The fight was between an unspecified number of people, including Stephens and Melvin, according to a press release from the Myrtle Beach Police Department. The fight escalated and led to the firing of “several” gunshots, after which a car fled, the release states.
When police arrived, they found Stephens and Melvin had been shot and were suffering from severe injuries.
About 11 p.m., Vest said that the two had died from their injuries.
Myrtle Beach police are using traffic cameras in their investigation.
