Hilton Head man charged with murder of woman found dead on St. Helena dirt road
Nearly four months after a Beaufort woman’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds on a remote road, authorities have accused a man as the sole suspect in her death. The suspect was already in jail for a robbery that took place around the same time as the killing, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Hilton Head Island resident Anthony Alfrado Brown, 41, was charged Tuesday with the murder of 33-year-old Stephanie Campbell and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Brown was originally arrested Aug. 23 after an armed robbery two days prior at the Circle K convenience store on Lady’s Island, located off Sea Island Parkway. About seven hours after the robbery, a resident discovered Campbell’s body on the side of Langford Road, a dirt road connecting Seaside Road and U.S. 21 on the east end of St. Helena Island.
The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office ruled Campbell’s death a homicide, estimating she had been killed sometime the morning of Aug. 21.
Shortly after the investigation started, deputies identified Brown as “one of the individuals who had last seen Campbell alive,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Family members described Campbell as a gifted student and a kindhearted friend. She grew up shy but matured into a headstrong woman with a knack for debate, they said.
“If you wanted to talk and dispute what she was trying to tell you, you better bring your A-game,” said Steve Campbell, Stephanie’s father.
Murder suspect involved in armed robbery
A Circle K employee told police an unknown man wearing a face mask parked at a gas pump around 2 a.m. Aug. 21, entering the store to buy about $45 worth of cigarettes and alcohol. After hearing the total, the man “patted his pockets” as if trying to find his wallet, walked outside of the store and returned to the counter about 30 seconds later, according to a sheriff’s office incident report.
The man then lifted his shirt to reveal a black revolver in his waistband, the employee told police. Gripping the firearm without removing it from his waistband, the suspect reportedly commanded the employee to hand him all the money in the cash register.
The clerk handed $176 dollars to the man, who left with the cash and merchandise and drove away in a gold Ford F-150 truck, the report says. No other witnesses were present at the time of the robbery, but Beaufort County deputies later obtained surveillance footage from inside the store.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Brown remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
This story was originally published December 18, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
