Augusta teen arrested in Christmas Eve killing

Wyzier Holt, Suspect

Date: January 06, 2024

An Augusta teen was arrested Friday in the Christmas Eve killing of a neighbor.

Wyzier Holt, 18, is accused of fatally shooting 36-year-old Steven Luke on Christmas Eve near the suspect’s home on James Drive. Luke was later found around the corner on Boykin Road, where he lives. He was rushed to Wellstar MCG, where he was pronounced dead an hour later.

Steven Luke (Contributed photo)

Just before 5 p.m. Friday, sheriff’s officers and the U.S. Marshals Service responded to the street where Holt lives and apprehended him. Warrants have been obtained for murder and weapon possession.

Holt had been sought for over a week in the killing. He served time as a juvenile for the 2021 killing of Tekeil Lee Jr., 16, was killed on Nov. 1, 2021. Over pleas by the victim’s family in that case, a judge gave Holt 18 months for involuntary manslaughter and he was released.

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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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