In a harrowing incident that has shocked the local community, a South Carolina woman was brutally murdered and her body set on fire after being lured to a remote location for what she believed was the purchase of a puppy. Dana Marie Kinlaw, 40, of Effingham, fell victim to this heinous crime on January 22, in a wooded area near Florence County, approximately 95 miles east of Columbia.
Florence County Sheriff TJ Joye described the killing as a calculated act of retaliation, potentially connected to a previous homicide in neighboring Darlington County in which Kinlaw's son is alleged to have been involved. According to Sheriff Joye, Kinlaw was accompanied by 19-year-old Iryanna Jarissa Fleming, a person she considered a friend, under the pretense of acquiring a puppy.
Upon reaching the secluded spot along Atlantic Road near Springbranch Road, Kinlaw was fatally shot, and her assailants proceeded to douse her and the vehicle with an unidentified liquid before setting it ablaze. Deputies responding to the scene around 5:45 p.m. discovered the car still burning with Kinlaw's body inside. Florence County Coroner Keith Von Lutcken confirmed her identity, and an autopsy is underway at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
The investigation led to the swift arrest of Fleming and 31-year-old Daquinn Taheen Thomas on the day of the crime. They were charged with murder, first-degree arson, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. A third suspect, Nikko Christopher Carraway, also 31, was apprehended on Wednesday and faces identical charges. All three suspects, who remain held without bond at the Florence County Detention Center, have extensive criminal records that include attempted murder and armed robbery.
Court records reveal that Thomas had recently served nine months in prison for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at Kinlaw's residence, seizing various electronic devices and financial records. Examination of bank statements pointed to spending patterns inconsistent with normal transactions, suggesting a deeper probe into the victim's financial dealings.
The brutality of Kinlaw's murder has raised awareness of the potential dangers inherent in everyday interactions, particularly in rural settings where personal disputes and criminal ties can escalate into violence. Sheriff Joye emphasized the importance of caution in trusting others and the risks that ordinary encounters can pose.
Investigators are working to determine the extent of planning and involvement by all parties, including the possibility of additional individuals connected to the crime. The case has also sparked a broader discussion on the nature of media coverage regarding such incidents, with some commentators noting that the racial dynamics of the crime have not received widespread national attention.
