Stephen Corey Bryant
Executed American convicted spree killer (1981–2025)

Stephen Corey Bryant
2021 mugshot of Bryant
Born(1981-04-12)April 12, 1981[2]
DiedNovember 14, 2025(2025-11-14) (aged 44)
Broad River Correctional Institution, South Carolina, U.S.
Criminal statusExecuted by firing squad
ConvictionsMurder (x3)
Assault and battery with intent to kill (x2)
Threatening life of family or public official
Burglary (x3)
Armed robbery
Arson
Possession of weapon[1]
Criminal penaltyDeath (September 11, 2008)
Details
Victims3
DateOctober 5–13, 2004
LocationSumter County, South Carolina
Imprisoned atBroad River Correctional Institution

Stephen Corey Bryant (April 12, 1981 – November 14, 2025) was an American spree killer convicted of the 2004 fatal shootings of three men in Sumter County, South Carolina. Throughout an eight-day period in October 2004, Bryant shot each of his victims in four separate incidents, killing three of them and leaving a fourth seriously injured.

The first deceased victim, Bryant's acquaintance Clifton Dale Gainey, was shot and killed before being abandoned on the road; the second deceased victim, Willard Irving Tietjen Jr., was fatally shot inside his home during a robbery; and the final deceased victim, Christopher Earl Burgess, was shot dead and left on a rural road after encountering Bryant at a convenience store.[3]

Bryant was found guilty of three counts of murder and sentenced to death on September 11, 2008. He was executed by firing squad on November 14, 2025.[4]

2004 Sumter County killings

Between October 5 and October 13, 2004, in Sumter County, South Carolina, 23-year-old Stephen Corey Bryant perpetrated a series of shootings that led to the deaths of three men and a fourth person wounded.[5]

Bryant conducted his first burglary on October 5, 2004. On October 8, he conducted another on a separate house. Bryant stole a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from the house.[5] Later that same day,[6] Bryant shot a man in the back who was fishing near a local river, but the man, 56-year-old Clinton Brown, survived his injuries.[5][7] Brown was reportedly able to drive himself to a hospital to seek treatment.[8]

The next day, Bryant went out with his friend and colleague, 36-year-old Clifton Gainey, to buy beer. According to sources, Bryant shared a close friendship with Gainey, and they often went out for fishing trips together and spent time with each other's families. Bryant used the gun to shoot Gainey in the head, killing him, and left his body behind on a rural road. After the shooting, Bryant arrived at Gainey's rented trailer, which he set on fire after stealing electronics and an aquarium.[5][7] At the time of his death, Gainey was survived by his two sons, mother and brother.[9]

Bryant entered the home of 62-year-old retired U.S. Air Force sergeant Willard Tietjen[9] on October 11, 2004 and shot him nine times. Bryant proceeded to steal off of Tietjen's finger and used a cigarette to burn the victim's face and eyes. He then burglarized the house and stole several power tools and other valuables. While Bryant was ransacking the house, Tietjen's wife and daughter called the victim, and Bryant picked up the phone to inform them separately that Tietjen was dead. Before he fled the house, Bryant used the victim's blood to write a message, "Victem 4 in 2 weeks. Catch me if u can".[5][10] Tietjen's body was found on the same day he was killed.[11]

Two days after murdering Tietjen, 35-year-old Christopher Burgess encountered Bryant outside a local convenience store. After the pair left the store, Bryant shot Burgess twice, once in the head and another in the chest. Less than two hours after the murder, a hunter discovered Burgess's corpse lying on a road bed in a rural area.[5][7]

Arrest and charges

Stephen Bryant was arrested at his girlfriend's home for the murders on October 13, 2004.[12][13] The following day, Bryant was charged with three counts of murder, two counts of burglary, two counts of weapons possession, and one count each of armed robbery and arson. Further investigations raised the possibility of more charges for Bryant.[14][15]

In the aftermath of the murders, the bereaved families of the victims petitioned to the state to provide financial aid to cover the funeral expenses.[16][17] The spree murders committed by Bryant shocked the whole community, and according to Bryant's landlord and workplace supervisor, the people around Bryant described him as a "nice" person and were shocked to hear he was arrested for the murders.[18][19] Experts believed that, based on observations, Bryant himself displayed antisocial behavior and impulsivity, along with poor problem-solving skills, which could have explained the motive behind the murders.[20]

While he was awaiting trial, in October 2005, Bryant assaulted a correctional officer at Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. As a result, Bryant was charged with the assault, and a transfer to another prison was arranged.[21][22] Earlier the same month, Bryant allegedly threw urine on the door of a fellow inmate's prison cell, causing the inmate to be splashed with urine on his hands and shirt.[23]

In April 2007, Sumter County prosecutor Kelly Jackson announced that he would seek the death penalty for Bryant.[24][25]

Murder trial

Bryant pled guilty to all three counts of murder and nine other lesser charges on August 8, 2008. Sumter County Prosecutor Kelly Jackson stated that there was no plea deal reached with the defense, and he would seek the death penalty for Bryant pertaining to the robbery-murder of Willard Tietjen. A sentencing trial was set to begin on September 2, 2008.[26]

During the sentencing phase, the defense argued that Bryant should not receive the death penalty, noting that he had been a victim of childhood sexual abuse and had long struggled with drug addiction, which they said contributed to brain damage. They contended that, in the months leading up to the killings, Bryant used drugs in an attempt to numb the lingering trauma from his past. The prosecution, however, maintained that the murders were premeditated and carried out with extreme cruelty, which were the factors they cited in urging the court to impose the death penalty.[27][28]

On September 11, 2008, Circuit Judge Thomas Russo sentenced Bryant to death for the murder of Willard Tietjen, in addition to two life sentences for the murders of Clifton Gainey and Christopher Burgess.[29][30][31]

Appeals and death row

After he was condemned to death row, Stephen Bryant was incarcerated at the Broad River Correctional Institution in 2008. During his 17-year stay on death row, Bryant was disciplined twice for offenses in prison, one for fighting without a weapon in 2009, and one for possessing a weapon in 2023.[32]

The South Carolina Supreme Court dismissed Bryant's direct appeal against his death sentence on January 7, 2011.[5] 14 years later on January 28, 2025, Bryant lost his appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court rejected Bryant's claim of intellectual disabilities and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which the defense claimed to be caused by the alcohol abuse of Bryant's mother while pregnant with him.[33][34]

Bryant's final appeal was denied on October 14, 2025, by the U.S. Supreme Court, thus officiating his eligibility to receive an execution date. The South Carolina Attorney General filed a motion to schedule Bryant's execution date shortly after he exhausted all avenues of appeal.[35][36]

Execution

Death warrant

The South Carolina Supreme Court signed a death warrant for Stephen Bryant on October 17, 2025, setting his execution date for November 14 of that year. Under South Carolina state law, prisoners facing execution are allowed to choose their preferred execution method: execution by firing squad, lethal injection or the electric chair. Should the prisoner in question fail to choose a method by their given deadline, he or she by default would be executed in the electric chair. Bryant was issued a deadline of October 31, 2025.[37][38]

Before the death warrant was finalized, Bryant's lawyers reportedly sought to delay the death warrant due to the US federal government shutdown, given that they worked for the federal court system. The request, however, was not accepted by the South Carolina Supreme Court.[39]

Bryant chose to be put to death by firing squad. He became the third inmate in South Carolina to choose this method since the state resumed executions in 2024, following the executions of convicted murderers Brad Sigmon and Mikal Mahdi.[40][41]

Final appeal

Bryant's lawyers filed a final appeal to the South Carolina Supreme Court on November 6, 2025, and sought to stay his execution. They stated that Bryant's criminal conduct was a result of his mother's alcohol and drug use during her pregnancy and it caused him brain damage that affected his ability to be a law-abiding citizen. However, the prosecution argued for the execution to move forward as scheduled, stating that Bryant's murderous and sadistic actions were deliberate acts of evil, and he was "methodical, cunning, and took pleasure in deadly rampage."[42] The appeal was denied four days later by the South Carolina Supreme Court.[43][44]

Bryant's final recourse was to appeal to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster for clemency. If approved, Bryan's death sentence would have been commuted to life imprisonment without parole.[45] Minutes before the execution proceeded, McMaster refused the clemency petition submitted by Bryant.[46]

Firing squad

Bryant was put to death by firing squad at the Broad River Correctional Institution on November 14, 2025. The execution process began at 6:02 pm, with a doctor announcing his death at 6:05 pm.[47][48] Bryant was the third person to be executed by a firing squad in South Carolina.[49] Bryant was granted a last meal of spicy mixed seafood stir-fry, fried fish over rice, egg rolls, stuffed shrimp, two candy bars and German chocolate cake. He made no final statement.[50]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Inmate search detail report: Bryant, Stephen Corey". South Carolina Department of Corrections. Archived from the original on July 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "South Carolina Department of Corrections" (PDF). doc.sc.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  3. ^ "Execution set for South Carolina man who taunted police with "catch me if u can" message written in victim's blood". CBS News. October 17, 2025.
  4. ^ "South Carolina executes man by firing squad, in state's third such killing in year". The Guardian. November 14, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "STATE v. BRYANT (2011)". FindLaw. Archived from the original on November 10, 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  6. ^ "Experts: Man likely angry, impulsive". The Sumter Item. Archived from the original on November 10, 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "SC killer of 3 who wrote messages in victim's blood receives execution date". The State. October 17, 2025.
  8. ^ "Tracking A Killer". The Item. October 13, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Family, friends remember victims". The Item. April 28, 2007.
  10. ^ "Man who killed 3 in Sumter County, wrote message in victim's blood, is scheduled for execution". The Post and Courier. October 17, 2025.
  11. ^ "Man found dead inside home". The Item. October 12, 2004 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Suspect arrested for string of Sumter Co. fatal shootings". WIS 10 News. October 13, 2004.
  13. ^ "Ex-con arrested in Sumter serial killing case". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. October 14, 2004.
  14. ^ "Ex-Convict Charged In Fatal Shootings". Lakeland Ledger. October 14, 2004.
  15. ^ "Suspect in Sumter shootings faces more charges". WIS 10 News. October 15, 2004.
  16. ^ "Families of Sumter shooting victims may get state aid". The Greenville News. October 19, 2004 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Sc May Pay Funeral Costs For 3 Slain Men". Star-News. October 19, 2004.
  18. ^ "Community buzzes with news of slayings". The Sumter Item. October 14, 2004 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Boss, landlord wonder what could have been". The Sumter Item. October 15, 2004 – via newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Experts: Man likely angry, impulsive". The Item. October 16, 2004.
  21. ^ "Man Charged In Triple Murder Accused Of Beating Guard". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. October 30, 2005.
  22. ^ "Inmate Accused Of Beating Guard". The Item. October 28, 2005.
  23. ^ "Suspected killer still awaiting trial". The Item. October 16, 2005.
  24. ^ "Death penalty will be sought in 3 killings". The Augusta Chronicle. April 30, 2007.
  25. ^ "Bryant to face death penalty". The Item. April 28, 2007.
  26. ^ "Sumter man pleads guilty in 3 killings". The Post and Courier. August 8, 2008.
  27. ^ "South Carolina killer of 3 sentenced to death". NBC News. September 12, 2008.
  28. ^ "Killer of 3 Could Get the Death Penalty". WLTX News. September 12, 2008.
  29. ^ "South Carolina man who killed 3 sentenced to death". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. September 11, 2008.
  30. ^ "Man sentenced to die in 3 rural killings". The Charlotte Observer. September 11, 2008.
  31. ^ "Triple Murderer Sentenced to Death". WLTX News. September 11, 2008.
  32. ^ "Death row inmate becomes 3rd in SC executed by firing squad". South Carolina Daily Gazette. November 14, 2025.
  33. ^ "Court upholds death sentence for an SC man nearly 2 decades after he pleaded guilty to 3 murders". The Post and Courier. January 28, 2025.
  34. ^ Bryant v. Stirling [2025], 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (United States).
  35. ^ "Inmate who admitted to 2004 triple murder in Sumter County becomes eligible for execution". The Post and Courier. October 14, 2025.
  36. ^ "SC death row inmate who killed 3 reaches end of appeals, can receive death warrant". South Carolina Daily Gazette. October 14, 2025.
  37. ^ "South Carolina schedules execution for man who taunted police with message in victim's blood". Associated Press. October 17, 2025.
  38. ^ "Execution set for SC inmate who killed 3 and left a bloody message for police". South Carolina Daily Gazette. October 17, 2025.
  39. ^ "Man who taunted police with message in victim's blood to be executed in South Carolina". The Independent. October 17, 2025.
  40. ^ "South Carolina man chooses execution by firing squad despite concerns over last death by bullets". Associated Press. October 31, 2025.
  41. ^ "3rd death row inmate in SC chooses execution by firing squad". South Carolina Daily Gazette. October 31, 2025.
  42. ^ "Lawyers for Stephen Bryant make final appeal over brain damage to stop South Carolina execution". Associated Press. November 7, 2025.
  43. ^ "South Carolina court rejects final death row appeal focused on brain damage from mother's drinking". Associated Press. November 11, 2025.
  44. ^ "SC Supreme Court turns down inmate's final appeal as execution nears". South Carolina Daily Gazette. November 11, 2025.
  45. ^ "Triple murderer to be killed by firing squad after terrorizing town and leaving taunting messages for police in victim's blood". The Independent. November 11, 2025.
  46. ^ "South Carolina executes killer who left bloody message, marking third firing-squad execution this year". CBS News. November 13, 2025.
  47. ^ "A South Carolina man is executed by firing squad for 2004 killings". Associated Press. November 14, 2025.
  48. ^ "South Carolina executes man by firing squad, in state's third such killing in year". The Guardian. November 14, 2025.
  49. ^ "Stephen Bryant becomes third person in South Carolina executed by firing squad". The State. November 13, 2025.
  50. ^ "Stephen Bryant executed by firing squad for 2004 killings". The Independent. November 13, 2025.
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