Man charged in connection to 2024 shooting that killed two Beaufort County teenagers
A St. Helena man was arrested and charged in connection to a shooting that left two teenagers dead in 2024.
Marktazius Jovan Smalls Jr. remains in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center after being arrested and charged with third-degree arson, accessory after the fact and possession of a stolen vehicle. In South Carolina, committing arson is a felony regardless of degree.
The 23-year-old was previously charged with breach of peace, unlawful storage of a machine gun and possessing narcotics in 2025. Those charges are pending, according to public records, and it is unclear if they connected to the shooting.
The investigation into the 2024 incident is still ongoing, according to police.
On Oct. 24, 2024, deputies received a report of gunfire near the intersection of Parris Island Gateway and Trask Parkway in Burton. Minutes later, police learned of a vehicle fire in the 800 block of Ribault Road just three miles away. Investigators concluded that the vehicle had crashed and caught fire on its way to Beaufort Memorial Hospital after the shooting, according to previous reporting from The Island Packet.
The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office identified the two victims as Beaufort residents Ashi Mitchell and DaRhon Brooks, both 18-year-olds.
Police urged anyone with information regarding the case to contact its lead investigator, Staff Sergeant Tunis at 843-255-3426.
