The mystery surrounding the death of Derrick Coleman, whose body was found in a manhole in Johnston, South Carolina, in 2022, has been resolved after more than three years. Investigators have made an arrest in the case, bringing closure to the 41-year-old victim’s tragic death in Edgefield County.
Bernard Montreze Chinn, 31, was arrested this month and charged with murder, removal of human remains, and weapon possession. Additionally, 28-year-old Keyona Shauntay Butler was charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
According to arrest warrants released on Thursday, Chinn shot Coleman multiple times on Lee Street in Johnston on November 1, 2022. After the shooting, Chinn placed Coleman’s body in the back of an SUV and drove it to an area on Sandra Drive, where he disposed of the body in a sewer manhole.
Coleman’s body was discovered three days later, on November 4, 2022. Investigators were able to piece together the sequence of events using physical and video evidence, along with witness statements obtained during the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation. Authorities also confirmed that Butler helped Chinn by allowing him to use her 2002 Ford Explorer to transport the body from the scene of the shooting. Video footage, physical evidence, and interviews further supported the charges against the two.
The Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office and the Johnston Police Department assisted with the SLED investigation. Chinn and Butler were both arrested on February 14 and booked into the Edgefield County Detention Center.
These arrests mark a significant breakthrough in a case that has weighed heavily on the Johnston community for years, providing some degree of closure for Derrick Coleman’s family and friends.
