Cop Killer Fred Hopkins Dies In South Carolina Prison

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by JENN WOOD

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The man responsible for one of the deadliest ambushes of law enforcement personnel in South Carolina history has died behind bars, closing a chapter in a tragic case that continues to reverberate across the Palmetto State.

Frederick T. Hopkins Jr. — the 81-year-old gunman responsible for the 2018 Florence ambush that killed a police officer and a sheriff’s deputy — has died in state custody, according to the S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC).

Hopkins died at 1:17 a.m. EDT on Saturday (April 18, 2026) at the agency’s prison hospital wing at MUSC Chester, where he had been receiving treatment since January 2025. Officials said his death followed an extended illness and was attributed to natural causes.

At the time of his death, Hopkins was serving two consecutive life sentences for murder, along with additional decades behind bars tied to multiple attempted murder convictions. Each of these convictions – and ensuing consequences – stemmed from the fatal ambush Hopkins instigated from within his 6,500-square foot home in the Vintage Place subdivision approximately five miles west-northwest of Florence, S.C.

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A DEADLY AMBUSH…

As previously reported, deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) were attempting to execute a search warrant tied to Hopkins’ son, Seth David Hopkins, on October 3, 2018 when the elder Hopkins opened fire on deputies through a glass patio door inside his home.

What followed was a prolonged and chaotic gun battle.

Investigators later determined the elder Hopkins — a trained marksman and Vietnam veteran — fired dozens of rounds at responding officers from multiple positions inside and outside his residence.

Those rounds claimed the lives of two law enforcement officers:

• Terrence Carraway, 57, a Florence Police Department (FPD) sergeant
• Farrah Turner, 37, an FCSO investigator

Carraway died at the scene. Farrah Turner underwent nine surgeries — including the amputation of both of legs — before succumbing to her injuries 19 days later.

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Several other officers were wounded in the exchange, some suffering life-altering injuries.

The crime scene ultimately stretched across multiple blocks, with law enforcement pinned down for hours before Hopkins finally surrendered.

For years, details of the case remained largely out of public view due to a sweeping gag order that restricted the release of information. That changed in October 2023, when Hopkins pleaded guilty to multiple charges — including murder and attempted murder — just days before his trial was set to begin.

Four years earlier, his son – the focus of the original search warrant – pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 437 days of credit for time served. He is currently serving his sentence at Ridgeland Correctional Institution in Jasper County with a projected release date of October 1, 2035.

The plea deal reached with prosecutors in the office of S.C. twelfth circuit solicitor Ed Clements allowed him to avoid the death penalty. Instead, Hopkins was sentenced to two life terms for the murders, along with an additional 150 years in prison for the attempted murder charges.

At sentencing, victims and their families delivered emotional impact statements, describing the lasting toll of the attack and rejecting any justification for the violence.

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A LONG SHADOW…

Hopkins’ defense team pointed to his military service — including a Bronze Star and Purple Heart — and a history of post-traumatic stress disorder as mitigating factors.

Prosecutors and victims’ families forcefully pushed back, emphasizing evidence that indicated the ambush had been planned in advance.

The case also drew attention to broader issues, including:

• Law enforcement response protocols
• The risks associated with serving high-risk warrants
• The intersection of mental health, firearms access, and criminal liability

Even after sentencing, the fallout from the shooting continued — both in the courts and within the law enforcement community.

Hopkins’ death effectively ends any remaining legal proceedings tied directly to him. But for the families of those killed — and the officers who survived — the impact of October 2018 remains.

As one law enforcement official noted at the time of sentencing, no outcome — whether life imprisonment or death — could fully account for what was lost.

Nearly eight years later, that reality hasn’t changed.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.

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