A New York man will spend the rest of his life in a South Carolina prison after a Jasper County jury on Thursday convicted him in a brutal daytime double killing at a Hardeeville apartment complex last summer.
Charles Saunders, 50, was found guilty in the June 18, 2024, shootings of Alesia Dykes and Bernard Alexander Lyles at the Walsh Drive Apartments in Hardeeville. Children were inside the apartment when the gunfire broke out. The verdict came at the end of a three-day trial earlier in the week.
According to a press release from the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, jurors returned guilty verdicts on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Circuit Court Judge Carmen T. Mullen imposed life sentences after prosecutors called 19 witnesses over three days of testimony.
What Happened at Walsh Drive Apartments
Hardeeville police say officers rushed to the Walsh Drive complex shortly after noon on June 18, 2024, after multiple reports of gunfire. Witnesses told investigators an argument between Saunders and the victims started outside an apartment and turned physical. They said Saunders followed Dykes and Lyles into the doorway and then opened fire.
Dykes died at the scene, and Lyles was taken to Coastal Carolina Hospital, where he later died, according to WTOC.
Evidence and Arrest
Investigators recovered a shirt Saunders had thrown into a Main Street trash can. Forensic testing later showed the shirt had gunshot residue, and surveillance video helped officers track his movements after the shooting, according to the solicitor’s office.
Several hours after the killings, officers spotted Saunders at a Waffle House in Ridgeland and took him into custody, the solicitor’s office said in its release.
Prosecution's Case and Background
Prosecutors told jurors that Saunders and Lyles had been arguing in the days leading up to the shooting. They showed the jury a video that Saunders had posted of himself holding firearms and threatening to shoot someone.
Saunders has prior convictions in New York for firearm possession, assault, conspiracy and criminal use of a firearm. Prosecutors argued the evidence at trial pointed clearly to a single shooter.
“This defendant chose to repay trust and hospitality with violence of the most horrendous sort,” prosecutor Trasi Campbell said, as reported by WYFF.
Legal Next Steps
Saunders has 20 days to file post-trial motions and could pursue an appeal. During his chance to address the court, he again claimed he acted in self-defense, according to WTOC.
Community Response
Neighbors and family members held vigils after the June 2024 slayings and have closely followed the case as it moved through Jasper County courtrooms. Hardeeville police credited community tips and camera footage with helping investigators track down and arrest the suspect, WJCL reported.
