Four York County detectives were publicly commended Tuesday after a multi-jurisdictional investigation linked a stolen car out of Clover, South Carolina, to a 2025 homicide that killed a 4-year-old child who was sleeping at the time of the shooting. What started as a Chevrolet Camaro theft in Clover stretched into Charlotte, where suspects allegedly took another vehicle and were captured on surveillance cameras. Investigators ultimately tracked down and arrested four people believed to be connected to both the car thefts and the child’s death. Detectives Billingslea, Frame, Mulder and Sergeant Casey received commendations for their work.
In a Facebook post, the York County Sheriff's Office laid out the timeline. The Camaro was reported stolen in 2025 from Clover. Suspects were later caught on camera and then traveled into Charlotte, where a resident spotted them from an apartment window. During the incident, a stray bullet struck a sleeping child who later died. According to the post, investigators worked with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and relied on video evidence along with other leads to identify and arrest four people tied to the homicide and the related vehicle thefts. The sheriff's office presented commendations to the four detectives for their roles in the multi-jurisdiction investigation.
How investigators followed the trail
Detectives pulled together surveillance footage and witness statements to trace the stolen Chevrolet Camaro from Clover into Charlotte and link it to a second vehicle theft there. A resident who watched the suspects from her apartment window provided a key sighting that helped narrow the search and firm up the timeline. With help from law enforcement partners in Charlotte, investigators located both vehicles and moved quickly to arrest four people believed to be connected to the crimes. Officials said the cooperation between agencies helped close the gap between new leads and arrests.
Legal status and next steps
According to the sheriff's Facebook post, investigators located and arrested four suspects in connection with the homicide and the related car thefts, although the update did not include the suspects' names or specific charges. Court filings and booking records are expected to provide the next public details on what counts the suspects will face and which jurisdictions will take the lead on prosecution. Authorities say the investigation is still active as detectives continue follow-up interviews and complete additional forensic work.
