State of South Carolina v. Willie Leo Darby

Charleston, South Carolina, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Murder and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime.



Willie Leo Darby was accused of murdering her husband, Michael Warren on November 12, 2021.



State's case included testimony from North Charleston Detectives George Vantine and Charity Steinbrunner as well as a SLED firearms analyst and Detective Jerome De Sheers of the NCPD FBI Task Force. Detective Vantine led an

investigation that focused on the Defendant as the main suspect from the start. Testimony from family and

friends of the victim explained the couple had married in March of 2021 but had separated shortly before

the November 12, 2021 murder. Evidence showed a 911 call for gunshots came from the Palmetto Grove

Apartment Complex on November 12, 2021 around 3:05pm, however, officers were unable to locate any

witnesses at that time. The next day, November 13, 2021, the victim was found deceased in his apartment

by his parents. Through the investigation, Detectives learned of the Defendant as a suspect. His vehicle was

seen on surveillance footage entering the apartment complex around 2:41pm and was seen leaving the

complex one minute before the 911 call. His location was corroborated by call detail records from his phone

provider that showed his movements before and after the murder. Further, call detail records of the victim

showed his phone traveling with the Defendant after the murder. Detectives located two .22 caliber cartridge

casings on scene near the victim's body and three live .22 caliber bullets with the same headstamp were

located in the Defendant's vehicle the day after the murder. The Defendant provided a statement to law

enforcement where he told detectives he had not seen the victim since their separation a week or two prior

to the murder, he had not talked to him in days, and he did not go to the apartment the day of the murder.



At the time of this murder, the Defendant had outstanding warrants for Attempted Strong Arm Robbery and

Assault & Battery 1st Degree. As Assistant Solicitor Brown stated during sentencing, this was a heinous,

personal and violent attack on the Defendant's spouse. The State thanks North Charleston Police

Department for a thorough investigation, Solicitor's Office Investigators Jennifer Butler and Dustin Morris

for coordinating with the prosecution, and most importantly, the Keitt family for their sincere and incredible

strength in the face of this senseless murder

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.