Walhalla, SC—An Oconee County jury convicted R. L. Webb of Murder and Burglary 1st degree today in General Sessions Court. The Honorable R. Lawton McIntosh sentenced Webb to 45 years on each charge to be served concurrently. The State was represented by Assistant Solicitor Blair Stoudemire, who was assisted by Assistant Solicitor Brian Livingston.
On September 1, 2016, Webb went to the residence of 50 year old Steven Gregory Brock at 208 Brock Road in Westminster. Webb and Brock had a verbal dispute earlier in the day at Webb’s residence. When Webb arrived at Brock’s residence, he found the gate to the property was locked. He unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry by shooting the lock several times. After gaining entry to the property via an alternate route, Webb approached Brock’s home and made forced entry.
Webb found Brock in a bedroom in the home, along with a female acquaintance. Upon entering the bedroom, Webb fired a handgun at Brock, fatally striking him in the head. The female acquaintance was able to flee the residence in Webb’s car, as Webb continued to fire at her. A short time later, she approached a City of Walhalla police officer for assistance. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office also received two 911 calls around this time. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Brock Road location where they located Brock’s body and processed the crime scene. The murder weapon was later located on the premises by a law enforcement K9 officer.
After the shooting, Webb hid in the woods nearby the home and later fled the State. He was located the next day in Lavonia, Georgia and was apprehended by authorities there.
At trial, The State presented video and written evidence of Webb’s confession, eyewitness testimony, law enforcement witnesses, medical experts, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division experts in the fields of firearms/ballistics, DNA, and gunshot residue analysis.
Solicitor David Wagner stated after the trial, “The death of Steven Gregory Brock was a senseless and merciless tragedy. R. L. Webb killed Mr. Brock in the sanctity of his own home, the place where we should all feel most safe. Today’s sentence ensures that our society will be protected from R. L. Webb for the rest of his life. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Walhalla Police Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for their outstanding work in pursuit of justice.”