Arrest made in Lake Marion homicide of Sumter man

31-year-old suspect located in Richland; body of 24-year-old victim found with gunshot wound

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A suspect has been arrested in Richland County in relation to a body that was found in Lake Marion on April 25, Sumter law enforcement officials said.

A murder warrant was taken out for Stephen Wayne Stinnette II, of Ithica Drive off Kolb Road in southern Sumter County, Thursday night, according to Ken Bell, public information officer for the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

The 31-year-old was detained by Richland County Sheriff's Department officers after a chase, Bell said.

Stinnette fled on foot from deputies to a nearby wooded area after they approached him and learned he was wanted out of Sumter County, Richland County Deputy Cynthia Roldan said. A perimeter was established, and he was later spotted by a deputy and apprehended.

As of press time, there was not a booking photo of Stinnette available because one was not taken at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland as they waited for Sumter deputies to pick him up to transport him to the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. Roldan said deputies circulated the photo seen here on their social media pages when they were searching for him.

Bell said Sumter investigators had issued a notice for Richland to be on the lookout for the suspect based on knowledge he may be in the area.

Law enforcement from Sumter, Clarendon and Orangeburg counties had been investigating what had been deemed a homicide after the body of 24-year-old Jerry Lamars Johnson was found in Lake Marion in Orangeburg County's jurisdiction. He had been reported missing the day before.

Bell said the body was found with a gunshot wound.

As of Friday evening, there were still several others who remained persons of interest or who were suspected to be involved. No one else had been charged, Bell said. The investigation remains ongoing.