Man was shot twice and tried to run when he killed his attacker, SC cops say

One man was killed, another was shot multiple times and a woman was arrested following a recent armed robbery that involved family members, according to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.

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Harry Eugene Phillips, a 21-year-old from St. Stephen, was identified as the man who died, Berkeley County Coroner Darnell Hartwell said Monday night.

Phillips was killed by a man who was acting in self-defense, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

That man was an armed robbery victim who was shot by Phillips, according to the release.

Justifiable homicide

The series of events began June 27, according to the victim who told the sheriff’s department that he had traveled from Georgetown County to Berkeley County to meet his cousin, 34-year-old Andrews resident Olivia Catherine Nance.

That’s when Nance and, her boyfriend, Phillips, got into the victim’s vehicle before the three traveled together to Old Wing Road, the sheriff’s office said. That’s in St. Stephen, near Lake Moultrie.

Investigators determined that once they arrived, Phillips pulled out a handgun and attempted to rob the victim of his vehicle, according to the release. During the encounter, Phillips fired a shot inside the vehicle and hit the victim, the sheriff’s office said.

The victim got out and ran into a nearby wooded area while Phillips pursued him on foot, firing additional rounds and shooting him again, according to the release.

Phillips ran out of ammunition, but did not stop his attack, the sheriff’s office said. Phillips had pistol-whipped the victim in the head, when the victim pulled out a knife and stabbed Phillips once in the chest, according to the release.

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Phillips died at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

Although he’d been shot, the victim made his way out of the wooded area, where he collapsed near Old Wing Road, according to the release. He was later discovered by a passing citizen and taken to an area hospital, the sheriff’s office said. Further information on the victim’s condition was not available.

No other injuries were reported.

The sheriff’s office said it conferred with the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and it was determined Phillips’ death was a justifiable homicide.

What about the cousin?

Following the attack, Nance got back into the victim’s vehicle and drove away without notifying law enforcement or requesting medical assistance, according to the release. Nance tried hiding the vehicle in a wooded area near Shulerville before she herself hid at another residence, the sheriff’s office said.

Nance was located and arrested on an obstruction of justice charge, according to the release. She was also charged with attempted murder, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, criminal conspiracy and grand larceny (value $10,000 or more), jail records show.

No bond has been set, and Nance remains behind bars in the Berkeley County Detention Center, according to jail records.

Despite Nance’s arrest, the events continue to be investigated by the sheriff’s office and coroner’s office.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 843-719-4412.

Both Nance and Phillips have criminal histories prior to this event, and had each been arrested more than half a dozen times since 2022 in Georgetown and Berkeley counties, respectively, court records show.