Abelardo Morales Baltazar, 47, of Gaffney, South Carolina, was killed on May 6, 2015 during an attempted armed robbery. Baltazar and a female passenger, Sandra Tessnear, were approached by two people demanding money. One of the assailants, Mark A. Earls Jr., was armed with a loaded gun and fired two shots; one struck and killed Baltazar. The perpetrators fled without taking any money.

The investigation resulted in arrests of Mark A. Earls Jr., then 20, and Lyric Antoinette Morgan, 22, both of Gaffney. Earls later pleaded guilty to murder, two counts of attempted armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and received a 30-year prison sentence with no eligibility for parole or early release. Morgan pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted armed robbery and kidnapping and was sentenced to 12 years, required to serve at least 85 percent of the term before release.

If anyone knew Abelardo Morales Baltazar, Sandra Tessnear, or saw the events around May 6, 2015 in Gaffney, please share information that could help fill gaps in the timeline.