Investigation Continues as Body Found in Lexington House Fire Leads to One Arrest and One Suspect Still at Large

Investigation Underway Following Body Found in Burning Lexington Home: One Arrest, One Suspect On-The-Run

In a shocking case, law enforcement authorities in Lexington, S.C. have arrested one man and are actively searching for another in connection with a homicide investigation surrounding a body found in a burning home late last July.

Arrest of Edward Leroy Smith

Edward Leroy Smith, a 39-year-old from Winnsboro, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening and is currently held at the Lexington County Detention Center. His bail was denied by a magistrate judge on Wednesday morning. “Our detectives established during their investigation that Smith was directly involved in the brutal murder of Caldwell Melton Motley Jr.,” stated Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon. “Along with the murder, it was also detected that Smith attacked and inflicted severe injuries on another man present at the scene using an edged object.”

Based on the arrest warrants, Smith is facing charges of murder in relation to Motley Jr.’s death and attempted murder for the attack on a second man discovered wounded in a detached garage adjoining the burnt residence on Oak Ridge Lane. “Statements given by victims and witnesses, evidence found at the scene and electronic data, it’s clear that Smith was present at the Oak Ridge Lane shortly before a 911 call was made about smoke emanating from the house,” added Sheriff Koon.

Search for Donovan Ryan Holman

Authorities have named Donovan Ryan Holman, a 33-year-old Lexington resident, as another person of interest in the case and launched an active search for him. Speaking about the ongoing manhunt, Sheriff Koon expressed, “If anyone has any helpful information on Holman’s whereabouts, we strongly encourage them to share it with us using the Midlands Crimestoppers mobile app.”

The Sheriff ensured the informants’ anonymity and stated that a cash reward could be up for grabs if the information leads to an arrest. “You will remain entirely anonymous and you could stand to earn a cash reward if the tip results in an arrest,” said Sheriff Koon.

For further updates regarding this chilling case, subscriptions to local email newsletters or downloading local news applications are highly suggested. Any person with direct or indirect information which could aid this ongoing investigation can share their feedback here. Rightly so, civic responsibilities like these go a long way in bringing guilty parties to justice and creating safer communities.