On January 4, 2022, at approximately 11:56pm Clarendon County Deputies along with Officers from the Manning Police Department responded to the West wood Apartments in the Manning area of Clarendon County in reference to gun shots heard from within one of the apartments.
Upon arrival, deputies were advised by several witnesses that they heard gun shots from inside an upstairs apartment in the complex. Deputies proceeded to the apartment and attemptedto make contact with the occupants. After no response from within, deputies could hear a small child crying. At that time, deputies made a forced entry into the apartment and discovered 2 deceased victims in the living room area of the apartment. Deputies also located an infant child near one of the victims. The infant was not harmed and was immediately taken to EMS personnel staged in the parking lot.
The 2 deceased victims were identified as 32-year-old Dezmond A, Mitchell with the last known address of the Pinewood/Rimini area of Clarendon County and 25-year-old Nakita Monet Baxter of the Manning area of Clarendon County.
Investigators were informed that Baxter had moved into the apartment approximately one week ago.
Additional witnesses later stated to investigators that they could hear a male and a female arguing from within the upstairs apartment where a short time later, gun shots were heard.
Mitchell and Baxter were involved in a relationship, but it is unknown at this time if the child was theirs together or if Mitchell was living with Baxter full time.
The investigation is ongoing, but the preliminary results appear to be a murder/suicide.
