Bluffton man accused of shooting step-father in Burton

A 40-year-old Burton man was shot and killed by his step-son Monday night, according to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.

Joseph Cochran was reportedly at his home in Burton's Pleasant Farm subdivision about 7:30 p.m. when his step-son -- 22-year-old Bryan Malonis of Bluffton -- shot him twice in the chest and once in the back of the head, according to an arrest warrant.

Though only Cochran and Malonis were in the home at the time of the shooting, Malonis' mother found him holding the gun, the warrant said.

Malonis was still in the home when the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office arrived, and told deputies he shot Cochran, the warrant said.

SLED charged him with murder and will continue the investigation at the request of the Sheriff's Office, which turned over the case because Malonis is related to a deputy.

Capt. Bob Bromage of the Sheriff's Office and SLED spokesman Thom Berry declined to name that officer, who Bromage said did not respond to the shooting.

Cochran was pronounced dead at the home, Beaufort County Deputy Coroner David Ott said. An autopsy was conducted Tuesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Cochran worked since 2008 in the optometry department of Beaufort Naval Hospital, according to hospital spokesperson Lt. Lisa Lill. Cochran also worked at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort when needed.

"He was a valued employee," Lill said.

Though the Sheriff's Office and SLED would not comment further on Malonis' relation to a deputy, court records show he was living with Michael Malonis -- who is a corporal with the Sheriff's Office -- in Bluffton.

Michael Malonis began proceedings to evict Bryan Malonis on April 22, according to court records.

Two years after joining the Sheriff's Office, Michael Malonis was honored by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island as its 2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

He and Brandon Malonis of Atlanta, Bryan Malonis' brother, declined to comment Tuesday outside Cochran's Pleasant Farm home.

Brandon Malonis said Cochran does not have family in the area and attempts to reach relatives were unsuccessful.

Bryan Malonis is being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center. His bond information was not available Tuesday afternoon.

He was on suicide watch, likely as a precaution due to the nature of his charge, according to jail deputy director Maj. Charles Allen.

He has no previous criminal record in Beaufort County, though he was arrested by the Sheriff's Office twice in 2013. He was charged that October with possession of marijuana and again the next month with possession of cocaine, according to court records.

His marijuana case was continued in February 2014, and no new court date had been set, according to Beaufort Magistrate Court.

Beaufort County General Sessions court ceased prosecuting Malonis' cocaine charge in December of 2014.

Follow reporter Rebecca Lurye on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Rebecca.

This story was originally published May 5, 2015 at 9:06 AM with the headline "Bluffton man accused of shooting step-father in Burton."