On the night of Thursday, January 12, 2023, 35-year-old Stephanie Hunter Johnson was killed during a home invasion at her 15th Street residence in Lancaster, South Carolina. About 9:30 p.m., two people in dark clothing forced the door after a knock; inside were Stephanie, her fiancé, a 15-year-old son and a 13-year-old son. A violent struggle erupted between a male resident and the intruders, and gunshots struck both Stephanie and her 15-year-old son.

Stephanie was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 15-year-old son was seriously wounded and taken to hospital and was expected to survive. Investigators identified two suspects: 21-year-old Kristopher Orlando Thomas and a 15-year-old male. Authorities say Thomas was armed with a gun and the juvenile carried a baseball bat. Both were charged with murder, attempted murder, first-degree burglary and attempted armed robbery; Thomas was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Thomas was held in the Lancaster County jail without bail and the juvenile was placed in a juvenile justice facility.

If anyone in Lancaster knew the family or saw suspicious activity in the neighborhood that night, please come forward with information.