PRESS RELEASE
February 23, 2017
SUBJECT: Rasheem Kevin Thomas, age 32, of 5942 Liberty Chapel Road, Florence, SC was arrested by deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office on February 23, 2017 and charged with one count of Murder (S.C. Code Ann. 16-03-10,20) and one count of Accessory Before the Fact of a Felony (S.C. Code Ann. 16-01-40,50). See FCSO Booking Website for additional details.
NARRATIVE: Early this morning, Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by FCSO SWAT, Aviation, K-9 Tracking Team and the U.S. Marshals Service executed a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Rasheem Kevin Thomas at 5942 Liberty Chapel Road, Florence, SC. Thomas was wanted in connection with the February 2, 2017 murder of Malcolm Kindred “Kenny” Kemmerlin on Francis Marion Road and was taken into custody without incident. Another suspect also charged with murder, Michael Joe Smith was already in custody.
Thomas is charged with Murder and Accessory Before the Fact of a Felony. According to Investigators, Thomas is alleged to have been with Smith when Kemmerlin was murdered and is also alleged to have provided Smith with the handgun used to kill Kemmerlin.
The investigation into this matter is ongoing and additional charges are possible. Thomas will be held at the Florence County Detention Center pending a bond hearing before a Circuit Court judge.
END
Major Michael M. Nunn
General Counsel/P.I.O.
