Crime
Jayden Jefferies Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of Sean Davis at Pageland Watermelon Festival
PAGELAND, S.C. — Authorities have arrested and charged a 17-year-old in connection with the fatal shooting of another teenager during the Pageland Watermelon Festival on Friday night.
Jayden Jeremiah Jefferies, a Chesterfield County resident, was taken into custody late Saturday and is charged with murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a concealed weapon.
Jefferies was booked into the Chesterfield County Jail, where his bond was denied.
Due to the seriousness of the felony charges, Jefferies cannot be granted bond by a magistrate and will remain in custody until he appears before a circuit court judge during a future session of General Sessions Court.
According to South Carolina law, 17-year-olds charged with certain violent felonies—particularly those carrying potential sentences of 15 years or more—are automatically prosecuted as adults.
This was confirmed by Chesterfield County Chief Magistrate John Davis.
The victim has been identified as Sean Davis, a 17-year-old student-athlete at Central High School in Pageland.
Davis was a member of both the school’s football and track teams and was scheduled to run in the Watermelon Festival 5K event on Saturday morning.
Central High’s coaching staff and teams publicly mourned his loss on social media.
The fatal shooting occurred shortly before the festival’s opening night ended, near the intersection of McGregor and South Pearl Street, in the heart of downtown Pageland.
A crowd of teenagers had gathered in the area when gunfire erupted, sending dozens of people fleeing in panic.
The scene was just feet from the Pageland Police Department’s tent and within sight of multiple Chesterfield County Sheriff’s deputies assigned to festival security.
Emergency dispatchers received the first call for help around 10:41 p.m. Initially, first responders requested a medical helicopter to transport the critically injured teen from Pageland Airport.
However, they ultimately decided that the fastest option was to transport him by ambulance to a trauma center near Charlotte. Despite their efforts, Davis was pronounced dead before arriving at the hospital.
The Chesterfield County Coroner’s Office confirmed his death around midnight.
Crime scene investigators with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrived within the hour and worked into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Officers documented the scene, collected evidence from the location where the suspect allegedly fired the weapon, and from where the victim collapsed.
At the time of the shooting, investigators had not publicly identified a suspect.
The Pageland Police Department released a brief statement confirming the fatal incident and offering condolences, with Chief Dean Short stating, “This is a heartbreaking event that deeply impacts our entire community.”
The Town of Pageland canceled the remainder of the Watermelon Festival out of respect for the victim and his family, asking the community to “support one another during this difficult time.”
The investigation is now being led by SLED, with further updates expected as the case progresses.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.