Aiken teen wanted for murder is captured nine months after being named a suspect

Antonio Wise

Date: May 16, 2022

A local teen who was wanted for a 2021 murder was finally captured over the weekend and returned to Aiken County.

Antonio Jerome Wise, 19, was taken into custody by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and transported Sunday back to Aiken County.

He is one of two named suspects in the murder of Earnest S. Croft who was found with gunshot wounds on Aldrich Street at Schroder Avenue in Aiken on Aug. 18, 2021. Croft later died from those injuries.

Earnest Croft

Later that month, Dontel Daniel Harlin, then 19, was charged with murder and weapon possession in the case. He is now 20 years old.

Dontell Harling

Wise has been served with warrants for murder, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and weapon possession.

A third suspect is still wanted in connection to this crime, but the identity of this individual is still unknown.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Aiken Department of Public Safety at (803) 642-7620 or submit a tip to CRIME STOPPERS by using the P3 Tips app or going to CrimeSC.com and clicking Submit a Tip. Tips submitted through Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000.

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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