Man sentenced to life in death of SC man, awaits death penalty trial in Horry County

A 28-year-old man charged in the death of a Horry County pawn shop owner has been sentenced to life in prison for killing another man in South Carolina.

Multiple media outlets reported Wednesday that Jeffrey Ray Jennings pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced Tuesday in Greenville in the death of Deran Marquis Jamison of Taylors.

Jennings had originally been charged with murder in Jamison’s death.

Jennings’ lawyer says the guilty plea is a strategic move to help his client, who faces the death penalty in the Horry County killing of 37-year-old pawn shop owner Thomas Holcombe.

Authorities say Jennings killed Jamison, then traveled to Atlantic Beach where he robbed and killed Holcombe.

He fled and was later captured in Tennessee.