A 23-year-old Hilton Head Island woman who ambushed two brothers near a Ridgeland motel has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Aneisha Shaire Young was found guilty Thursday of murder in the April 30, 2016, shooting death of 23-year-old Davonte Freeman and of attempted murder of Wrenshad Kwame Anderson. She also was found guilty of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
On the night of the shooting, shortly after midnight, Freeman and Anderson left the Siesta Motel and headed towards Adams Street.
“It was a cold-blooded and cowardly act,” Assistant Solicitor Brian Hollen said. “Lying-in-wait, she opened up on them as they walked down a path.”
Freeman was shot in the back of the head. Anderson fell to the ground. Dragging his brother away from the gunfire, Anderson called 911.
The Jasper County jury deliberated for two hours before returning a guilty verdict. The prosecution called 19 witnesses during the three-day trial.
Circuit Court Judge Carmen Mullen handed down Thursday’s sentence. Young was sentenced to 30 years for Freeman’s murder and 10 years for attempted murder, to be served consecutively. Young also received five years on the weapon charge, to be served concurrently.
A co-defendant, Eric Darien of Pineland, will be tried at a later date. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Hollen is a member of the Solicitor’s Office Career Criminal Unit, which prosecutes the circuit’s most habitual and violent offenders. The team has convicted 48 of 51 defendants since the start of 2017.
