Chapin Man Charged with Murder and Kidnapping After Deadly Newberry Shooting

Newberry, SC — A violent crime in Newberry has left one man dead and a woman and child traumatized after a deadly shooting and abduction last weekend.

According to the Newberry Police Department, 53-year-old David Clark, of Chapin, has been formally charged with a long list of serious offenses, including:

• Murder

• Kidnapping

• Armed robbery

• Possession of a weapon during a violent crime

• Possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain crimes

• Unlawfully placing a child at risk of harm

The charges stem from an incident early Friday on College Park Drive. Officers responding to reports of a shooting and kidnapping forced entry into an apartment, where they discovered 53-year-old Dexter Gary dead from a gunshot wound.

Investigators say Clark then forced a woman and a child into a vehicle before fleeing the scene. A coordinated search effort, supported by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, led to the safe recovery of the woman and child later the same day in Chapin.

Clark was arrested without further incident and transported to the Newberry County Detention Center, where he was denied bond. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Community Concerns

This tragedy has raised fresh concerns about domestic violence, gun crime, and repeat offenders in South Carolina communities. While authorities continue their investigation, residents are left mourning the death of Dexter Gary and reflecting on the swift actions that saved two innocent lives.