Man charged with double homicide in 2019 found guilty

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The fifth circuit solicitor’s office announced Monday the guilty verdict of a man in connection with a 2019 shooting that left two people dead.

A judge found Genari McNeil guilty of two counts of murder, armed robbery, first-degree burglary, and possession of a weapon.

McNeil was given two consecutive life sentences for the murders of then-23-year-old Mary Carmichael and 26-year-old Jahquan Peterson as well as 30 years in prison for armed robbery, first-degree burglary, and weapons charges.

Columbia Police Department officers responded to a 911 call on May 11, 2019, at 10 p.m. regarding shots fired at 221 Skyland Drive.

Upon entry, investigators found the victims. Both were shot in the upper body.

Investigators said three guns and over a dozen shell casings were located at the scene along with cash that was both scattered around the apartment and leading away from the scene.

Officers later discovered McNeil had been dropped off at Prisma Health Richland with gunshot wounds to his wrist, leg and head. Investigators said McNeil was uncooperative in providing details on how he was shot.

Hospital surveillance video depicted McNeil’s arrival and showed another man, who covered his face with a t-shirt, placing McNeil into a wheelchair and pushing him into an elevator before fleeing the scene.

Investigators reviewed Ring doorbell cameras at the scene that showed Peterson arriving home while two men wearing ski masks and armed with pistols approached him from behind.

The men placed guns to Peterson’s head and pistol-whipped him before forcing him into the home, said investigators.

Investigators said that after shooting Peterson, Carmichael fired down upon the suspects from an upstairs bedroom sticking McNeil who left his blood at the scene, before she was shot and killed by the suspects.

The trial began on Monday, March 20 and guilty verdicts were returned after approximately an hour and a half of jury deliberations.

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