Updated: Man charged with murder for Thursday shooting of his partner in Shell Point
A Shell Point man was arrested and charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing his girlfriend Thursday.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office was called to a home on Shell Point Road for a gunshot wound around 6 a.m. Thursday Upon arrival, deputies found 46-year-old Stephanie Fries of Lady’s Island dead from a gunshot wound.
Her partner, 37-year-old Brenden Elsila of Shell Point, was also present at the scene. But, Elsila’s story didn’t line up with what investigators were seeing at the scene, sheriff’s office spokesperson Master Sgt. Danny Allen said. Elsila was eventually detained at the scene and taken into custody without incident.
Elsila is currently being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center with two charges: murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
Despite the arrest, Fries’ death is still under investigation, as of Friday afternoon.
The shooting began as a domestic incident between the two, according to Allen. As of Friday morning, no information about what caused the incident was shared.
The Beaufort County Coroner’s office ruled that Fries had died around 5:15 a.m., 45 minutes before the sheriff’s office was called to the scene.
Shell Point is a small community off of Highway 170 near Beaufort. It rests between the Broad River Bridge and the U.S. 21 bridge into Port Royal.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
This story was originally published August 1, 2024 at 1:01 PM.
