DARLINGTON, SC (WPDE) — A jury has found Steven Samuel guilty of the murder of his stepmother Vivian Bess in May 2021 at her home in Cain Street, Darlington.
Judge Paul Burch sentenced Samuel to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder after a week-long trial at the Darlington County Courthouse.
Samuel represented himself during the proceedings.
Attorney Will Rogers said Samuel was also convicted of first-degree kidnapping and attempted sexual abuse for the attack on his stepsister and sentenced to two consecutive terms of 30 years each for kidnapping and attempted sexual abuse.
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Samuel murdered his stepmother in her home. When his stepsister later arrived home, Samuel attacked her and prevented her from escaping him.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Monty Bell.
In his closing argument, Assistant District Attorney Bell pointed out that the trial was complicated by the defendant’s conduct in the courtroom. The defendant was charged with contempt of court twice during the trial.
“In the 17 years I have been practicing law, this has been one of the most painful trials of my career and I know it has been for you, the jury, too,” Bell said. “However, the pain we have endured cannot compare to the pain the victim has endured.”
Because Assistant District Attorney Bell served the defendant with a notice of intent to seek a sentence of life without parole, Samuel was sentenced under South Carolina’s two-strikes law. He had previously been convicted of armed robbery, which is considered an extremely serious misdemeanor. Murder is also an extremely serious misdemeanor, so the conviction carried a mandatory sentence of life without parole.
“Depraved people committing heinous crimes will not be tolerated in Darlington County. As long as I prosecute crimes, I will use every tool available to ensure that criminals like Steven Samuel reap what they sow,” Bell said.
Samuel will serve his sentence in a facility to be determined by the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
