The murder and felony murder charges against 18-year-old Nametrius McClam have been dismissed, according to court documents filed Friday by District Attorney Jared Williams.
The decision comes just one day after similar charges were dropped against another teen in the same case. The document cites the testimony of the lead investigator during McClam’s preliminary hearing on Thursday.
“The lead investigator’s testimony at the preliminary hearing on 9/11/2025 establishes that the defendant acted in self-defense,” the document reads. “In light of this testimony, there is no longer sufficient evidence to prove this charge beyond a reasonable doubt.”
McClam had been charged in connection with the August 3 shooting death of 14-year-old Deandre Howell in the parking lot of Advance Auto Parts on Deans Bridge Road. The violent incident, which stemmed from a dispute among local teens over water-selling territory, left one dead and three others — including two minors and a suspect — injured.
Authorities say the conflict escalated when one teen called his mother to the scene. She arrived with her boyfriend and two sons, all sharing the Carter surname. During the confrontation, 16-year-old Vincent Hikeem Carter Jr. exited a vehicle with a firearm. Gunfire soon broke out, killing Howell and wounding Carter Jr., his brother Zyion Carter, and a 12-year-old bystander, Josiah Overton.
Carter Jr. was initially hospitalized in critical condition before being charged with murder. On Thursday, Judge Shawn Merzlak dismissed the charge against him after ruling that he acted in self-defense. McClam’s dismissal follows the same line of reasoning, based on new details presented during the preliminary hearing.
McClam, who has a prior criminal history, was arrested shortly after the shooting. Another case against him had been dropped just two weeks before the August 3 incident due to insufficient evidence.
The shooting has drawn renewed attention to youth violence in South Augusta and the growing risks faced by teens involved in so-called “Water Boy” roadside vending — an informal hustle where teens sell bottled water at busy intersections.
In a statement today, the district attorney wrote this: “I hope with every fiber of my being these young men realize how close they came to dying or spending life in prison. I pray they put the guns down, pick up some books or a trade, and stay out of the streets before their lives get cut short.”
Authorities have not released further details about who fired specific shots.
