JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) – A Jasper County jury has found Charles Saunders guilty of murdering Bernard Lyles and Alesia Dykes, two beloved members of the Hardeeville community.
The conviction came after just over an hour of deliberation following a three-day trial. The judge subsequently sentenced Saunders to two consecutive life sentences plus five additional years to be served in state prison.
The Case
Saunders, a New York resident who was in town visiting his son in Jasper County, was accused of shooting and killing Lyles and Dykes inside a Hardeeville apartment in June 2024.
The victims died from three gunshot wounds sustained during an incident that began as a fight outside the apartment…