2 teens arrested in murder of ‘beloved’ 17-year-old girl at Beaufort apartment complex
Police have charged two teens in the killing of a 17-year-old girl outside a Burton apartment complex earlier this month. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Grays Hill resident Rashod Lorenzo Williams, 18, was charged Friday with murder, aggravated breach of peace and a felony firearms offense.
Jeremiah Warren, 18, of Beaufort, was jailed Monday afternoon on the same three charges. As of Tuesday afternoon, both men remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center and had not appeared for bond hearings.
The two teens are charged in the murder of 17-year-old Ari’Anna Mulligan, described in online tributes as a “beloved” young girl with a kind heart and “warm spirit.” She previously attended Whale Branch College Early High School but transferred to Bridges Preparatory School, where she had just begun her senior year at the time of her death.
“Ari’Anna’s light shone brightly and her creativity and compassion touched all who were blessed to know her,” reads a GoFundMe intended to finance her funeral expenses, which exceeded its $12,000 goal within a week.
A large crowd of staff and students at Bridges Preparatory School held a memorial for the young girl outside the school Monday evening, holding pink balloons that were released into the sky after speeches from faculty, friends and family.
“We start school, and here she comes and is polite is polite can be,” said Daniel Tooman, principal of grades 9-12 at the public state charter school. “This young lady walked into our hallways and never missed a beat — smiled, said ‘good morning.’ ... She is in good hands looking down upon us now as we celebrate her life.”
Beaufort County judicial records show no prior criminal history for the two suspects, both of whom turned 18 in the months preceding the murder.
The fatal shooting
Beaufort County deputies responded around 10 p.m. on Sept. 15 to multiple reports of shots fired at the Magnolia Park Apartments, located off Laurel Bay Road in the unincorporated community of Burton. In the parking lot, police found three juveniles who had been shot. Department spokesperson Master Sgt. Danny Allen would not say if the incident was a drive-by shooting but advised that multiple shooters may have been involved.
Mulligan was taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital and then airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, going into cardiac arrest during the flight, according to Beaufort County Coroner David Ott. He would not specify how many times the teen was shot.
One of the gunshot victims was Mulligan’s brother, who was believed to still be in the hospital as of Tuesday, Allen said.
Anyone with information regarding the Sept. 15 shooting is encouraged to call lead investigator Master Sgt. Duncan at 843-255-3418. Tips can also be submitted online at bcso.net.
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 12:12 PM.
