Beaufort father wanted for murder of 3-year-old girl during custody exchange dispute
Beaufort police obtained arrest warrants Monday for Jonathan Tyleke Fair in connection with the shooting death of a 3-year-old child during a custody exchange Sunday afternoon at the Cross Creek Apartments, the department announced Tuesday morning.
Fair is accused in the murder of 3-year-old Ariana Fair, who was pronounced dead at Beaufort Memorial Hospital at 2:20 p.m. Sunday, according to Beaufort County Coroner David Ott. Monday’s autopsy revealed her cause of death was a gunshot injury, Ott said Tuesday morning, but he would not specify the number of times the child was shot.
Police are actively searching for Fair in Yemassee and the nearby Big Estates area, which lies north of Highway 17 in northern Beaufort County. Fair was convicted for unlawfully owning a firearm in 2022 and has two pending charges of third-degree domestic violence, judicial records show.
Fair also faces two charges of attempted murder and one count of possession of weapon during a violent crime. He is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached by the public, according to the Beaufort Police Department.
Investigators believe Fair began firing shots around 12:30 p.m. Sunday due to a custody-related dispute in the Cross Creek parking lot, where the 3-year-old and two other adults were present. Arriving at the apartments off Parris Island Gateway, first responders found a 26-year-old woman with “serious injuries” in the parking lot and loaded her in an ambulance to the hospital.
Officers arrived at the hospital to hear of two more gunshot victims: a 25-year-old male with non-fatal injuries and the fatally injured Ariana Fair. Deputy Chief Stephenie Price, a spokesperson for the Beaufort Police Department, would not answer questions about the number of shots that were fired or whether Fair is the only suspected shooter.
Anyone with information about Sunday’s shooting or Fair’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Investigator Andersen at 843-322-7941 or the Beaufort Police Department’s anonymous tip line at 843-322-7938.
This story was originally published October 3, 2023 at 3:47 PM.
