A South Carolina man is dead and a woman is behind bars, sheriff says

A South Carolina man was stabbed to death and a woman was arrested early Sunday morning, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Rodney Herrington, a 45-year-old Sumter County resident, is the man who died in the stabbing, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Monday.

Akasha Tamia Jones, 26, was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

At about 6 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a domestic dispute at a Bell Road home, according to the release. The sheriff’s office said that Jones is a Bell Road resident.

At the home, deputies learned that Jones stabbed the victim during a physical altercation, the sheriff’s office said.

Alcohol was involved in the incident that became violent, according to the release.

Information about Jones’ relationship with Herrington, and why they were fighting, was not available.

There was no word on Jones’ condition, but no other injuries were reported.

Jones was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, according to the release. Information about her bond was not available.

Despite the arrest, the sheriff’s office said the stabbing remains under investigation. The coroner’s office is also continuing to investigate Herrington’s death, and an autopsy has been scheduled for this week at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

This story was originally published January 4, 2026 at 11:52 AM with the headline "A South Carolina man is dead and a woman is behind bars, sheriff says."

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription