North Carolina man charged in ‘despicable’ killing of 15-year-old, SC sheriff says

An 18-year-old North Carolina man is one of two suspects linked to the “tragic and unnecessary” killing of a boy in rural South Carolina, according to the investigators.

It happened around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7, in the Gray Court area of Laurens County, investigators say.

“Deputies responded to Tanglewood Way in Gray Court in reference to a gunshot victim. Upon arrival, deputies located an individual in the roadway,” the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 11 news release.

“The Laurens County Coroner’s Office has identified the deceased as 15-year-old Leo Scott Epting.”

Epting was a ninth grader at Laurens District 55 High School, according to Foxcarolina.com.

Details of why he was killed are not being released “due to the sensitive nature” of the investigation, officials said.

Ryan Ingersoll, 18, of Charlotte, has been arrested in the case and charged with: murder, armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriff’s office said.

“A juvenile suspect has been detained in North Carolina and is awaiting extradition to South Carolina,” the sheriff’s office said.

The identity of the juvenile suspect and charges were not released.

“This has truly been a tragic and unnecessary loss of a young life,” Laurens County Sheriff Don Reynolds said in a release.

“I also want to thank Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD Homicide and the Violent Crime Apprehension Team for their assistance. These two individuals committed a despicable act, and I pray that they are held accountable.”

Laurens County is about a 105-mile drive southwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 7:37 AM with the headline "North Carolina man charged in ‘despicable’ killing of 15-year-old, SC sheriff says."