Nyasia Dowling, 25, was found fatally shot in a room at the American Hearth Inn on Richland Avenue West in Aiken, South Carolina, after shots were reported around 4:41 a.m. on January 20, 2025. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:15 a.m.; an autopsy was scheduled in Newberry to determine the official cause of death.

Investigators from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office developed a suspect and arrested 32-year-old Dante Jamal Breeland of Aiken on January 29, 2025. He was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Authorities have not publicly detailed what led them to Breeland, whether he and Dowling knew one another, or a motive for the shooting.

Dowling was a mother to a young daughter and a graduate of South Aiken High School. Her family described her as an attentive mother and devoted family member who enjoyed cooking and watching movies with her child. Does anyone have information about Nyasia’s last known movements or contacts that could help investigators?