FBI investigates SC hate crime, victim shot and dragged for miles

Pomaria - Newberry County deputies say the murder suspect they arrested after a standoff Wednesday morning shot his victim in the head and then dragged him several miles while tied to the back of his truck. This is being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI.

Sheriff Lee Foster, calling the crime scene one of the worst he's ever seen, said 19-year-old Gregory Ashton Collins was arrested at the Orchard Park trailer park after authorities used tear gas to force Collins out of his mobile home. At 4:30 a.m Wednesday, a man called 911 saying he saw a body lying on Highway 321 near the Pomaria town limit sign, not far from Pomaria Garmany Elementary School. Foster said deputies discovered the man had been dragged several miles, and followed the trail back to the trailer park off Highway 34 just outside Newberry reports WISTV10. Deputies began to follow a trail of evidence that led them to a mobile home located at 37 Orchard Park Drive in Newberry, SC. Once at the residence, the deputies observed evidence on a pickup truck parked in front of the residence linking the vehicle to the body previously found. A suspect in the residence then ran into the back room of the home and refused to respond to law enforcement officers at the home. Sheriff Foster said that they then received intelligence that the suspect was possibly heavily armed inside the residence so members of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) and the State Law Enforcement Division SWAT team responded to the scene. The two teams tried unsuccessfully for about 3 hours to have the suspect to surrender, when it was finally decided to make entry into the residence.

Gov. Mark Sanford asks two things of the people of Newberry County, South Carolina.

“One, that people stay calm until the facts are settled and law enforcement – in this case including the local sheriff’s office, State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – has a chance to fully investigate the crime. We will extend all state resources necessary to local law enforcement in completing this investigation.

“And two, that if this ends up being the case, we recognize it and condemn it for what it would be - an isolated incident of hate that is indeed to be deeply condemned from all corners of the state and nation. It would represent an event that certainly does not accurately reflect the good and decent people of South Carolina, and an incident that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Newberry County Coroner used fingerprints and tattoos to identify the victim as Anthony Lamont Hill, 30, of Winnsboro. The coroner said Hill died of a single gunshot wound to side of head, and the injuries caused by being dragged happened after Hill died.

Kay Porter who was Collins' landlord said "He's been very responsible, very polite, very responsive, when he comes to pay he was always on time," said Porter.

Foster said Collins and Hill were co-workers at the Louis Rich plant in Newberry, and it appears the two had known each other for several months. Investigators believe the two spent most of Tuesday together and were at Collins' house early Wednesday morning when Hill was shot.

Investigators say Collins then allegedly carried Hill's body out of the trailer, used a nylon rope to tie the body to his truck and began to drag him behind the truck away from the trailer.

Foster said Collins allegedly dragged the body for 10.7 miles along Highway 34 and onto Highway 176 until just past Highway 773 where the rope snapped and Hill's body landed beside the road, where it was later discovered by the passing driver.

If you have any information about this case police are asking you call the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 321-2222 . You can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CrimeSC, or text your tip to "TIPSC plus your message" to CRIMES (274637).