BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Davon Washington pled guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter for the shooting and killing of Luther “Woody” Cribb, III, according to Solicitor Scarlett A. Wilson. The shooting occurred at approximately 2 o’clock in the morning in the parking lot of the Kangaroo gas station on Highway 17A in the Summerville area of Berkeley County. Circuit Court Judge Maite Murphy sentenced Washington to 25 years in prison.
On August 9, 2015, Washington and three other men arrived at the Kangaroo Gas Station in a red Hummer. Cribb had been hanging around the gas station for several hours prior to the defendant’s arrival, asking patrons for spare change. The driver of the vehicle, Co-defendant Marquez Brown, got into an argument with Cribb that escalated to a physical altercation in which Brown punched Cribb in the face.
Cribb swung back and the two squared off so as to fight. Washington, who was in the backseat of the vehicle, jumped out of the car and ran toward Brown and Cribb. Immediately upon approaching Cribb, Washington raised his handgun and without hesitation, shot the unarmed victim in the abdomen. Video surveillance from the gas station showed the defendant shot the victim while standing within arm’s reach of him. After the victim realized he had been shot, he ran into the gas station and collapsed.
Meanwhile, Washington remained in the parking lot holding the gun, until finally walking to the vehicle and riding away.
Within an hour, law enforcement located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in North Charleston. Washington was seated in the back passenger seat, and found in his pocket was a silver and gold 0.25 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office immediately interviewed Brown and the other passenger; both of whom identified Washington as the shooter. Washington initially denied any involvement in the shooting; however, upon learning that his co-defendant had identified him, Washington eventually confessed to shooting the victim.
The victim died while being wheeled into surgery at Trident Hospital in North Charleston a few hours after the shooting. Cribb was fifty-one years old at the time of his death.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor Price Sigal. “Washington’s act of violence was unnecessary and senseless,” Sigal stated.
Family members spoke at the sentencing hearing and described the victim as a loving brother, son, and uncle, who will be dearly missed. Cribb’s mother tearfully spoke about the depth of her loss, and the grief she feels with the knowledge that she will never again be able to hug her son.
Washington has prior Criminal Domestic Violence convictions from 2009 and 2010, as well as a Receiving Stolen Goods conviction from 2006 and a Possession of Marijuana conviction from 2008.
Sigal praised the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office for their quick response to the scene, and thorough investigation, and are grateful to the victim’s family for their cooperation throughout the prosecution process.
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