SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A Spartanburg man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for attempted murder.
32-year-old Cornelius Jerome Staggers was tried and found guilty of attempted murder, assault and battery in the first degree and discharging a firearm into a vehicle. Special Circuit Court Judge Daniel E. Martin, Jr. issued the sentence Thursday.
The incidents occurred in August 2021 after the victim had a verbal altercation with a co-worker at their place of employment earlier that day.
Investigators said the victim met his wife in the parking lot to leave work when they were approached by Staggers. Staggers threatened the victim and told him not to mess with his brother according to investigators.
Neither the victim nor his wife knew Staggers prior to the incident.
The victim and his wife left the parking lot and noticed they were being followed by Staggers, officials said.
Investigators said the two individuals stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Wofford Street and Farley Avenue where Staggers leaned out of the driver’s side of his window and began firing a handgun.
A bullet shattered the back window of the victim’s vehicle and another bullet hit the passenger’s
side mirror according to officials.
The Spartanburg Police Department was able to identify Staggers as a suspect based on evidence of the parking lot confrontation.
Police said Staggers admitted exchanging words with the victim in the parking lot but denied following or shooting at the victim and his wife.
However, the victim and his wife were able to identify Staggers as the person who confronted them in the parking lot, followed their vehicle and shot at them.
Staggers received life in prison without parole for attempted murder as well as a ten year sentence each for assault and battery in the first degree and discharging a firearm into a vehicle.
All sentences will run concurrently.
