Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputies received multiple calls reporting possible gunshots or a person down shortly before 1 a.m. on February 4, 2026. The reports pointed to Graham Chapel Road in the Mayo community of Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
This rural area features narrow roads, farmland, and small community churches. Graham Chapel Wesleyan Church stands along the road as a local landmark. Deputies treated the call seriously and dispatched units to the church address immediately due to the nature of a potential shooting in an isolated spot.
Deputies reached the parking lot of Graham Chapel Wesleyan Church on Graham Chapel Road within minutes. They used flashlights to scan the dark, gravel area and located a man lying motionless near the edge of the lot. He had a single gunshot wound to the chest and no pulse. The scene showed no signs of a struggle in the parking lot itself, with the victim alone and no vehicle nearby belonging to him.
Emergency medical technicians and firefighters from local stations arrived to assist the deputies at the church parking lot. They performed a full assessment, checking for any chance of survival and attempting resuscitation protocols. The efforts continued for several minutes on the cold ground, but the severity of the wound left no opportunity for recovery. The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office was notified and responded just after 1 a.m. to document the death officially.
Coroner Rusty Clevenger’s team identified the victim through personal items and later confirmation as 42-year-old Matthew Edward Carter. He resided on Double Branch Road in the Cowpens community, a short drive from Mayo. Carter worked locally and had family ties in the area. He was pronounced dead at the scene from the gunshot wound to the chest, with the manner ruled as homicide pending full autopsy results.
Further examination of the site revealed Carter had been shot while standing or walking in the roadway on Graham Chapel Road itself. Blood evidence and trajectory suggested the gunfire came from close range in the road. He then walked or staggered approximately 50 to 100 feet into the church parking lot seeking help or safety before collapsing and dying there alone in the overnight hours.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit leads the active homicide investigation into the shooting at Graham Chapel Wesleyan Church. Detectives canvassed nearby homes for witnesses, collected any available evidence from the road and parking lot, and reviewed potential surveillance from area properties.
No suspects have been named publicly, no motive released, and authorities continue to ask residents with tips about activity on Graham Chapel Road that night to contact Crime Stoppers or the sheriff’s office directly.