On July 22, 2025, Waltez Latham, 42, was found in the backyard of a Waties Drive residence in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, suffering from a gunshot wound. Horry County Police responded around 4 a.m. after reports of a shooting. Latham was taken to Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital, where he died of his injuries. Another person was also wounded and was transported to a hospital by a private vehicle.

Authorities identified 36-year-old Swava Lamares McCrea of Myrtle Beach as the alleged shooter; witness reports placed McCrea at the scene before he fled. McCrea was arrested on August 13, 2025, and charged with murder and possession of a weapon by a felon. His prior criminal record included a 2015 conviction for a fatal 2013 carjacking and shooting in Myrtle Beach, for which he received a 10-year sentence.

Latham, known to some as Tez, worked at UPS and was a father; funeral services took place at the end of July. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to come forward.