Slain soldier’s name released in Sumter murder-suicide

By SHELBIE GOULDING
shelbie@theitem.com
The name of the 38-year-old soldier who was killed along with three children in a murder-suicide at a Whitetail Circle residence late Tuesday has been released.
U.S. Army Central Soldier Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans, from Petersburg, Virginia, died of apparent gunshot wounds at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, Maj. Jason Welch said. He was the command sergeant major for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of USARCENT.
In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark shared details of the shooting where Evans and three children, who were siblings, were shot to death in the home of Aletha Holliday, the children’s mother and coworker of Evans. Holliday, who was home at the time and is the only surviving person, is a sergeant major and serves as chief culinary manager for USARCENT, according to her LinkedIn page and DVIDS, a military-owned
communications distribution service.
According to Roark, Holliday and Evans were in her backyard about 10 p.m. when her ex-husband, Charles Edward Slacks Jr., 42, entered the home using a key, walked outside and fired several shots at Evans.
Slacks and Holliday had two children together, Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, Roark said. He was the stepfather of her oldest child, Ava Holliday, 11. They were all shot and died in their beds.
Evans joined the Army in July 2002 and served in multiple duty positions and locations around the globe until joining USARCENT in 2021.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Evans was an outstanding leader and caring friend who inspired and lifted up all those around him,” said Lt. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, USARCENT commanding general. “CSM Evans was well-known and respected by all, and the influence and impact he made within the unit will never fade. We collectively mourn the immense loss of his presence in our lives, and our thoughts and prayers are extended to CSM Evans’ family.”
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War Against Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Kuwait Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge – Rifle.
Slacks Jr. served in the U.S. Army as a tracked vehicle mechanic from June 1999 to July 2006. He held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of his service, which ended in 2006 when he was honorably discharged, Welch said.
Slacks had eight non-consecutive years of federal service as a Department of the Army civilian and previously served at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Fort Bliss, Texas, before beginning work at U.S. Army Central in February as a civilian.
Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Evans’ autopsy would be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina Thursday morning, the two young boys’ will be Friday morning at MUSC, and Slacks and his stepdaughter will be autopsied Saturday morning at MUSC.
Sumter Police Department confirmed they’re treating the deaths as four homicides and a suicide, Roark said.

Note: Other, non-local media reports are using different spellings of the boys’ first names and the family’s last names. The Sumter Item’s spellings mirror the Sumter Police Department’s incident report and the mother’s Facebook.