7 years ago, a St. Helena man was murdered in his driveway. Police still want answers

Seven years ago, a 44-year-old man was found dead in his St. Helena driveway with multiple gunshot wounds, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Julius Chaplin’s body was found about 10 p.m. Oct. 5, 2011 at 172 Fripp Point Road, the release said.

He died from two gunshot wounds to the back of the head, a previous Beaufort Gazette article said.

Shortly after Chaplin left his house to go for a walk, witnesses heard gunshots and then a car speeding away, the release said. None of the witnesses were able to provide a description of the car.

Joe Washington was identified as a person of interest in the case, but was murdered the next day, the release said. Washington was found dead in a burning car, according to a previous Beaufort Gazette article. A follow-up article said Washington was shot in the head before the car was set on fire.

Both men were “well-known” by law enforcement and preliminary findings had suggested the two murders were connected to each other and that the murders were drug-related, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said in 2011 at the time of the murders.

In 2015, a $2,500 reward was offered for information on the case, according to a previous Island Packet article.

When investigators “exhaust all credible leads” in a criminal case —such as this one — the case turns stagnant or “cold.”

The Sheriff’s Office releases cold case information in hopes of finding new information, the release said.

Anyone with information regarding this case can contact Capt. Bob Bromage at 843-255- 3402, 843-816-8013, or robertb@bcgov.net or Crimestoppers.