Further Developments in Father/Son Death

Father and Son found dead in apparent homicide-suicide at the Red Roof Inn in Gaffney. Cover photo: The former Ponderosa Inn in downtown Redding has changed its name to the Red Roof Inn. Red Roof Inn
Photo credit © David Benda/Record Searchlight, Redding Record Searchlight via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Further developments in the Yelton Family homicide/suicide case.

Spartanburg County Coroner, Rusty Clevenger, Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office and the Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler are all working the case of the Yelton Family deaths.

On Friday, 5/15/20, Timothy Brian Yelton and Brandon Gage Yelton were found dead in a motel room at the Red Roof Inn in Gaffney.

Coroner Fowler tried to reach the next of kin, 69 year old Howard Lawson Yelton of Ezell Road in Chesnee.

Howard Yelton was found dead at his residence Sunday May 17th by Sheriff's Deputies.

Other family was contacted.  An autopsy Monday revealed Howard Yelton "suffered gunshot wounds to the head and incised wounds to head and neck."

More testing will be done on evidence recovered at the scene.  

Howard Yelton's death has tentatively been ruled a homicide.

According to Lt. Kevin Bobo with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, Howard Yelton is believed to have been killed prior to his son, Timothy Brian Yelton, and grandson, Brandon Gage Yelton, being found deceased in the Gaffney Motel room Friday 5/13/20.

All agencies believe there is no threat to the public.

Press release from Coroner Rusty Clevenger and Lt. Kevin Bobo below:

Clevenger: I regret to inform that my office has joined the Spartanburg Sheriff's Office in reference to a man that was found dead at his residence on Sunday afternoon May, 17th. Sheriff's deputies responded to Ezell Road Chesnee. There they found a man my office identified as 69 year old Howard Lawson Yelton of the same address and prononuced him dead at 16:20 p.m.. The Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler attempted to contact the decedent as next of kin to the decedents on Friday after investigating a double death that I have read he ruled a Homicide/ Suicide without answer. Other family was contacted and the requested law enforcement involvement in attempting contact. The autopsy was performed this morning. The decedent suffered gunshot wounds to the head and incised wounds to head and neck. We will request more testing be performed on evidence recovered on scene. The manner is tentative as a Homicide until further testing is complete.
Lt. Bobo:  In conjunction with the below release from the Coroner’s Office, our preliminary investigation suggests Howard Yelton was killed prior to his son and grandson being found deceased in the hotel room in Cherokee County late last week. Our investigation remains active, and a motive for our incident is still undetermined, but we don’t feel there is any threat to the public. More information will be released only at the appropriate time.

 

 

5/18/20 - A Father and Son were found dead in a Red Roof Inn Motel room Friday night in Gaffney.

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler has identified the victims in the apparent homicide-suicide. 

42 year old Timothy Brian Yelton, and his son, 25 year old Brandon Gage Yelton.

Fowler said in a press release the father and son had been renting the room on New Painter Drive in Gaffney since May 9th.

Housekeeping tried to enter the room around 11am Friday.  When there was no response after a knock, a key card was used to gain access but the door was secured with the security latch.  

Motel management was called.  Upon entry, the manager discovered the father and son and called 911.

Autopsies are scheduled for today, Monday. 

Fowler believes the shootings took place around 2pm Thursday.  

Firearm deaths by category. Article by Sarah Feldman.
Number of suicides and homicides in the U.S. among people aged 10 to 24 years from 2000 and 2017

 

Official Press Release from Coroner Dennis Fowler below:

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler has released the names of two people found dead in a Gaffney motel room Friday.  Fowler said  Timothy Brian Yelton, 42, and his son, Brandon Gage Yelton, 25, both of   Chesnee, S.C, died as the result of an apparent homicide-suicide at the Red Roof Inn located at 132 New Painter Drive in Gaffney.

     “This tragic event occurred around 2 p.m. last Thursday in a room the two men had been renting since May 9. Housekeeping personal knocked on the door just after 11 a.m. Friday and did not get an answer. When they attempted to enter with a pass key, the security latch was engaged.  The manager of the motel was called to the room and gained access to discover the two men unresponsive. He immediately called 911,”  Fowler said.

     “Evidence at the scene indicates the younger Yelton shot his father and then turned the gun on himself.  A motive for the incident was not immediately known. Autopsies have been scheduled for Monday to assist with the investigation into the deaths  “ Fowler said.

 

 

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