LANCASTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Rock Hill man accused of killing another man at a South Carolina speedway in 2022 was convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday.
The S.C. Sixth Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced the sentencing for 40-year Bryan Terell Mitchell following a four-day trial this week. The court gave the jury the option of a conviction for murder or voluntary manslaughter. Shortly after 2 p.m., they returned a guilty verdict on charges of murder and possession of firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
On Aug. 27, 2022, officers with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Lancaster Motor Speedway in reference to a shooting. Court documents show the victim, 53-year-old Rodney Cunningham, suffered two gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased after being transported to a local hospital. He was an employee at the track.
Early the next morning, court officials say the suspect visited a local convenience store, and his suspicious behavior alerted the clerk, who called law enforcement.
After calling in additional resources after daybreak, Mitchell was apprehended around 10:15 a.m. Deputies say he gave a statement to law enforcement in which he admitted shooting the victim. He was charged that day with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
On Friday, Sixth Circuit Deputy Solicitor Melissa McGinnis asked the court to sentence Mitchell to Life in prison. After hearing from the families of the victim and the defendant, Judge Vernon Dunbar sentenced Mitchell to 30 years on the murder charge, and five on the weapon charge. The sentences will run consecutive
“Our prayers are with Mr. Cunningham’s family, and we thank them for their grace and patience throughout this entire process,” McGinnis stated. “We hope that the closure of the criminal case allows them to move forward in their healing process.”
Solicitor Randy Newman praised law enforcement’s investigation.
“I’m proud of our team today,” he said. “We refused to reduce the charge to Manslaughter because we felt we could prove Murder and the jury agreed. … I pray that the Cunningham family finds some closure as this case comes to an end.”
