Dominique Devonah Brand, Kidnapping, Murder, Carjacking, South Carolina 2021

A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of Dominique Devonah Brand, who was found guilty of kidnapping, murder, and carjacking in connection with the brutal slaying of an 80-year-old South Carolina woman.

A jury convicted Brand, 33, of kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder in a bench trial in September 2022. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has now affirmed Brand’s convictions.

The horrific crime took place on March 28, 2021, when Brand entered the Nichols, South Carolina, home of Mary Ann Elvington, a retired elementary school teacher and community pillar. In the days prior, Brand had burglarized another nearby residence, stealing a shotgun, and burglarized and vandalized a local church.

After forcing Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina, Brand sat behind her with the shotgun before forcing her into the back seat and driving her to a remote crossroads in Marion County. Once there, he marched her behind an abandoned grocery store, held the shotgun to the back of her head, and pulled the trigger, executing her.

Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening. During a post-arrest statement to authorities, Brand denied committing the murder, but his guilt was proven at trial with DNA evidence, cell phone analytics, and crime scene analysis.

The case was a collaborative effort between the FBI Columbia Field Office and local law enforcement agencies, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson.

U.S. District Judge Sherri A. Lydon imposed two concurrent life sentences for the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus 10 consecutive years for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses. Brand is currently serving his sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia.

Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in the case, saying, “We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington. This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvington’s family.”

The conviction is a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies and the dedication of prosecutors in seeking justice for victims of violent crimes.

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