A Lexington County man has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murder, armed robbery, criminal conspiracy and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. 

Allon T. Adams, 24, of Leesville, was convicted of the murder of Tony Etheredge Jr., 35, who was shot in the Leesville area in 2023.

According to a news release, during the early hours of Dec. 30, Etheredge was lured to a location on Rish Road by a female accomplice of Adams. The two planned to rob Etheredge and steal his 2014 Toyota Tacoma truck.

When Etheredge arrived, he was directed to an isolated area of Parrish Road, where Adams shot and killed him. Adams and the female co-defendant then stole the truck and disposed of the body over a bridge into Black Creek near Pelion.

After killing Etheredge, Adams and the woman attempted to conceal their involvement and misdirect investigators multiple times, the press release read. 

Etheredge was reported missing by his family, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department issued a missing person statement requesting information from the public. 

Investigators later found Etheredge’s truck abandoned in an open field on Truex Road in Leesville. A crime scene investigator determined the truck had evidence of a bullet defect in the driver’s seat, where Etheredge was shot. 

Leads eventually pointed to Adams as a suspect.

A towel and hoodie were found near the truck and sent to SLED for DNA analysis. At trial, it was revealed that the DNA on both items linked Adams to the scene. 

Evidence recovered from multiple cell phones that Adams had revealed he made admissions to the crime, including video and audio recordings of Adams discussing the crime, which were presented during the trial.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of Sheriff Jay Koon and the entire Sheriff’s Department in their work on this case,” Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard said in the release. “This was a calculated and senseless act of violence – carried out with a complete disregard for human life. Our office remains committed in our mission to protect our community from violent offenders. Our thoughts remain with Tony Etheredge Jr.’s family as they continue to heal from this tremendous loss.”

At the trial, Etheredge's parents addressed the court, describing him as a “hardworking man who cherished his family.”

Adams is serving his sentence at the S.C. Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard and Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes. 

The investigation was conducted by Det. John Reed of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Unit.