Man accused in deadly shooting of pregnant woman surrenders
Image: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office
Image: Sumter County Sheriff's Office
Sumter County, SC (WOLO) — After a massive manhunt in Sumter County, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, a man who authorities say was on the run for the past five days has turned himself in. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office says Troy Cornelius Wells is accused in the shooting death of Jennifer Cruz who was 33 weeks pregnant.
According to deputies, Wells waited outside of the Royal Inn Motel in the 1700 block of North Main Street during the early hours of Saturday March 23, 2024. Law enforcement says Wells “ambushed” Cruz and a friend she was with as they pulled up in a car outside of the motel. Deputies say Wells fired shots at the car while running alongside it, and according to authorities kept shooting as the two attempted to drive away.
Deputies say the driver of the car was wounded and continues recovering. Jennifer Cruz who was the passenger in the car at the time of the shooting was killed. The baby Cruz was carrying survived the shooting and was delivered by C-Section. The newborn remains in the critical condition at Prisma Richland’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
No specific motive for the shooting was given, although Sheriff Anthony Dennis who called the shooting “premeditated”, and “cold blooded’, says Cruz and Wells were in a relationship and had been staying together at a different area motel.
Sheriff Dennis continued commenting on the issue saying,
“We believe he intended to not only kill both occupants of the car but the unborn child as well,”…”We believe that anyone who would commit a crime like this is a danger to the community and we are pleased that he is now in custody.”
