An Anderson Woman who shot her boyfriend and attempted to stage the crime scene to make it look like self-defense is headed to prison for the next three decades following a weeklong jury trial, announced Tenth Circuit Solicitor Micah E. Black.
Andreana Shanice Ware, 37, was found guilty by an Anderson County jury late Friday afternoon of Murder and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime.
Circuit Judge R. Scott Sprouse then handed down a sentence of thirty (30) years in prison on the murder charge and five (5) years in prison on the weapon charge, with the sentences running concurrently. South Carolina law mandates the sentence be served day-for-day, meaning Ware will not be eligible for parole.
On February 3, 2024, Anderson City Police responded to a home on E Street after receiving a 911 call from Ware stating she had shot her boyfriend. Ware’s initial statement to first responders was that she accidentally shot the victim, but she later changed her story to say he had kicked down her door and strangled her for several minutes before she shot him in self-defense. Investigators immediately observed that the crime scene did not match Ware’s story. There were no signs of forced entry, and the victim lived at the residence and had the code to unlock the door. Additionally, investigators utilized forensic tools to discover that large amounts of blood had been wiped up from the floor where the victim had been shot. Investigators ultimately determined that Ware had shot the victim as he walked in the door and spent upwards of 30 minutes cleaning up the crime scene before calling 911. Ware had a history of violence with the victim, and the jury got to hear a voicemail the victim left a family member earlier in the day where he can be heard begging Ware to stop waving a pistol around.
Senior Assistant Solicitor Derek Polsinello and Assistant Solicitor Chase Kinsey presented the case for the State, with assistance from Investigator Heather Purdy and Victim Advocates Merri Parker and Brenda Smith. Solicitor’s Office Investigator Joseph Burke played a pivotal role in securing the conviction, as he was the lead investigator for the City of Anderson Police Department at the time of the incident. Ware was represented by Don Smith of the Anderson County Bar.
Solicitor Black praised the work of his staff, along with investigators from the City of Anderson Police Department, in preparing the case for trial and securing the conviction.
“This was a deliberate and violent act, followed by an obvious attempt to cover it up and escape responsibility,” Solicitor Black said. “Because of a total team effort, the truth prevailed and a violent killer has been held accountable. We will continue to be unwavering in our commitment to seeking justice for crime victims and to keeping our community safe.”