South Carolina man sentenced to 40 years for courthouse parking lot murder

Stephen Andrew White, a 34-year-old Army veteran, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the brutal murder of Erin Lee Thomas in the parking lot of the Laurens County Courthouse.

The 8th Circuit Solicitor's Office announced the sentence on Tuesday, following White's guilty plea to murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The fatal encounter occurred on 12 August 2024, immediately following a child custody hearing involving both men.

According to prosecutors, White intentionally drove his vehicle into Thomas, who was standing near his own car. The impact left the 34-year-old victim disabled on the pavement with a broken leg and pelvis.

White then exited his vehicle, stood over the injured man, and attempted to shoot him. After his firearm initially misfired, White cleared the jam, chambered a new round, and shot Thomas in the head. White surrendered to authorities at the scene shortly after the execution-style killing.

During the plea hearing, White’s attorney argued that his client "snapped" due to extreme emotional distress.

The defence revealed that White had recently discovered the child he believed was his own was actually the biological child of Thomas, following a resumed affair between Thomas and White's wife.

Solicitor David Stumbo condemned the act, stating that White's choices permanently removed two father figures from an innocent child's life.

White will serve his 40-year sentence without the possibility of parole under South Carolina law.