NiShan Bonit Huff was a 23-year-old honors graduate with a bright future ahead of her. To her family, she was a beloved daughter and sister whose life was cut tragically short just a month before her 24th birthday. She was the daughter of Sacha D. "Chop-C" Irby Huff and John Arthur "Pete" Huff, and a sister to Chicketa Huff, India Huff, and Rahmel Huff. For years after her death, her family has held vigils in her memory, praying and sharing memories to ensure she is never forgotten and to remind the community that her killer remains free.
On the afternoon of June 7, 2006, NiShan was in the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment she shared with her boyfriend on Furman Hall Road. At some point between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., while her boyfriend was out, an intruder is believed to have entered the residence. When her boyfriend returned, he made a devastating discovery: NiShan was in the kitchen, having been shot and killed.
An autopsy later confirmed she died from at least one gunshot wound to the head. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office launched a homicide investigation, but despite following initial leads, the case grew cold, leaving her family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss.
For sixteen years, the case remained without a significant break. Investigators with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office continued to work the case, which was eventually turned over to the department's Cold Case Investigative Unit, formed in August 2020. This specialized unit re-examined the evidence and began to re-interview existing witnesses while also developing new ones. Their persistent work finally led to a breakthrough in June 2022. The Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of two individuals in connection with NiShan's murder.
On June 14, 2022, authorities charged 53-year-old Frank Rozier with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Another person, 38-year-old Brittney Nicole Goldsmith, was charged with accessory after the fact. Investigators stated they believed Rozier knew NiShan, though a motive was still under investigation. Goldsmith was accused of covering up the crime by providing false information to law enforcement and intimidating a witness to prevent them from coming forward. Rozier was located and arrested in Georgia, awaiting extradition, while Goldsmith was taken into custody in Greenville. For NiShan's family, the arrests seemed to be the long-awaited first step toward justice.
That hope, however, was short-lived. Nine months later, in March 2023, the 13th Circuit Solicitor's Office announced it was dropping all charges against both Rozier and Goldsmith. In a statement, the office explained that after a review of the evidence, they had "determined that the State cannot prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt." The case was referred back to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office for further investigation. This sudden reversal was a painful setback for NiShan's loved ones, who were once again left without answers.
Her sister, Chicketa Huff, has spoken about the importance of remembering who NiShan was. "It's not a matter of her character or who she was as a person," she said, "but she was somebody's child and she was somebody's sister, she was somebody's family member, she was somebody's friend." Her mother, Sacha Huff, has expressed the deep frustration of the passing years without resolution.
As of March 2023, the murder of NiShan Huff remains an unsolved cold case. Investigators are still seeking any information that could lead to the person or persons responsible for her death. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office continues to encourage anyone with knowledge about the crime to come forward.
