Second suspect arrested in connection to shooting death of trooper

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The District Attorney’s Office says a second suspect has been arrested in connection to the shooting death of a trooper in Columbus County last week.

Trooper Kevin Conner was shot during a traffic stop early Wednesday morning. He later died at the hospital.

Raheem Davis, 20, was arrested in Fair Bluff and charged with murder just hours after the shooting. Investigators say Davis was in a stolen truck that Trooper Conner pulled over for speeding on HWY 701 near Sellers Town Road.

After a news conference held Tuesday morning in Columbus County, we’re learning Davis wasn’t the only one in that truck.

“Our evidence conclusively shows two people in the truck when Kevin Conner made that fateful stop and both of them are now in custody,” District Attorney Jon David said.

Another man, Chauncy Askew, 18, was arrested early Tuesday morning in Loris, South Carolina in connection with Conner’s murder. Askew is currently being held in the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County.

“Agents for the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI have been working very hard, overtime in fact, late into the nights and over the weekends to develop the information that we needed to make an arrest of a second suspect,” David said.

Askew will also be charged with first degree murder.

“It’s not unusual to have two suspects arrested for first degree murder in the same death,” David said.

David said countless hours went into the search for Askew. SWAT teams and numerous law enforcement officers in the area were able to make the arrest. Askew was considered armed and dangerous but David says they did not feel the need to inform the public.

“Our motivation is to make sure that we arrest somebody in such time that we actually have the evidence we need to be effective. We balance that against informing the public and I think we’ve struck the appropriate balance and history will remember that he was brought in to custody peacefully and without incident,” David said.

Details about the investigation into the two men are few. David said he is limited as to what he can say because this is a pending court case. Court documents reveal both Askew and Raheem Davis, the other suspect charged, have multiple arrests involving robbery with a dangerous weapon, second degree kidnapping, assault and more. These come along with multiple plea agreements and probation. But David says they are not focusing on that for now.

“Our focus has been on the investigation before us and that’s Trooper Connor’s death,” David said.

Askew is awaiting extradition to North Carolina, which could be in the coming days.

David and Columbus County Sheriff Lewis Hatcher urged anyone who might have information on this case to come forward.