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The fatal shooting of a 15-year-old young man from Westminster, South Carolina has led to criminal charges against another teenager, the teenager’s caregiver and a man accused of illegally selling the handgun used in the shooting, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO).
Thaddaeus Justice Terezakis died last Thursday afternoon (October 8, 2026) after being shot in the head near Walhalla earlier that same morning. Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis said Terezakis died at 12:25 p.m. EDT in the intensive care unit at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital (GMH).
An autopsy performed the following morning determined Terezakis died from a gunshot wound to the head. Addis said his manner of death had been classified as homicide.
Investigators believe another 15-year-old boy was handling a Taurus 9mm handgun when it discharged and struck Terezakis in the head. The sheriff’s office described the shooting as “accidental,” but alleged the teenager was negligent in his handling of the weapon.
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The investigation expanded over the following days to encompass how the teenager obtained access to the gun – and the alleged sale of the weapon to a minor.
On Monday, (October 12, 2026) deputies announced the latest arrest in the case: 23-year-old John Devin Wilbanks of Westminster, S.C., who has been charged with the unlawful sale of a pistol.
Wilbanks was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center (OCDC) at approximately 3:11 p.m. EDT on Monday. A judge granted him a $25,000 personal recognizance bond that same afternoon.
According to the probable cause affidavit accompanying the warrant for his arrest (.pdf), Wilbanks unlawfully sold a Taurus G2C 9mm handgun to a person under the age of eighteen. Investigators subsequently identified that handgun as the firearm used in the fatal shooting of Terezakis.
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The announcement of Wilbanks’ charge followed the arrest of 33-year-old Davina Jill Browne, whom authorities have identified as a family member with custody of the teenager accused in the shooting.
Browne faces a charge of unlawfully placing a child at risk of harm. The sheriff’s office announced her arrest last Friday (October 9, 2026) and said she had been released that afternoon on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit accompanying the warrant for her arrest (.pdf), Browne allegedly placed the teenager at an unreasonable risk of harm by allowing him to possess or own the handgun. Investigators said she knew he possessed the weapon and did not have proper preventive measures in place.
Authorities have not specified her family relationship to the teenager beyond saying she is a relative and has custody of him.
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The unidentified juvenile – whose name has not been released by authorities on account of his age – faces an involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from the shooting.
Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, deputies believe the juvenile retrieved the handgun from underneath a pillow in his room. The weapon discharged while he was handling it, striking Terezakis, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators consulted with the office of S.C. tenth circuit solicitor Micah Black before detaining the teenager and obtaining a juvenile referral packet. The sheriff’s office said the juvenile was subsequently transported to a facility in Columbia.
The investigation into Terezakis’ death remains ongoing with additional information expected to be released at the appropriate time.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Troy Styles is a field correspondent for FITSNews. He is also the owner of Blunt Force Media.
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