Summerton woman to serve 35 years for murder of Manning man, co-defendant receives 13 years

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A Summerton woman charged nearly two years ago for her role in the death of a missing Manning man will spend the next 35 years of her life in prison. Shanta Arleene Reason, 36, of 1029 Antler Drive in Summerton, pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of murder and armed robbery, with 3rd Circuit Judge R. Ferrell Cothran sentencing her to 35 years and 30 years, respectively, for those offenses. A co-defendant, Travis Terrill Starks, 27, of 6426 Bill Davis Road in Summerton, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder, receiving a revocation of already ongoing probation and a sentence of 13 years from Cothran. Reason and Starks, who are married, were arrested in early May 2015 in Pennsylvania, located there after an extensive, two-month search by the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office for their roles in the death of Emanuel Torres, whose body was found March 3 by a local farmer off Fawn Ridge in Manning. Torres' family had reported him missing Feb. 27, with cousin Jocelyn Burden saying he "is a homebody and doesn't typically go anywhere." Family said he was last seen walking near his home on Arlene Road between 8 and 9 p.m. Feb. 27. An autopsy performed the day after Torres' body was found confirmed that the 24-year-old Manning High School graduate died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Court records reveal that one other defendant in the case, Barbara Judy, still has a pending charge of accessory before the fact to murder in Clarendon County General Sessions Court. Court records also show that Starks was serving a five-year probation sentence after a conviction in 2012 to various drug charges.