Pickens Police Chief Tommy Ellenburg gave a brief press conference in council chambers at Pickens City Hall Thursday afternoon regarding the murder, which took place just outside Coyle’s Main Street office in Pickens Wednesday afternoon.
Police say that Jerry Dean Crenshaw, 61, waited outside Coyle’s office for the 61-year-old attorney and then shot Coyle multiple times.
“The assailant, identified as Jerry Dean Crenshaw, also shot himself at the scene,” Ellenburg said.
Officers responded to the shooting at approximately 5 p.m.
“At 5:37 p.m., Mr. Coyle was pronounced dead at Cannon Memorial Hospital,” Ellenburg said.
Coyle’s wife witnessed her husband’s murder, Ellenburg said.
Crenshaw was transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where he died at 10 p.m., Ellenburg said.
Officers discovered Crenshaw’s vehicle, parked “within view” of Coyle’s office, Ellenburg said.
After obtaining a search warrant, officers discovered a handwritten note in the vehicle — a note believed to have been written by Crenshaw, Ellenburg said.
“This note indicated that Crensaw intended to harm Mr. Coyle, after the result of an earlier divorce action in which Mr. Coyle represented Mr. Crenshaw’s estranged wife,” Ellenburg said.
Another search warrant was obtained, allowing officers to search Crenshaw’s Martin School Road residence.
There, officers discovered more evidence, Ellenburg said.
“Evidence was taken from Crenshaw’s residence indicating that Crenshaw intended to take his own life,” he said.
Ellenburg said Crenshaw, “a longtime resident of Pickens County” had no pending charges against him with the Pickens Police Department, but said he could not answer questions regarding a Contempt of Court notice issued to Crenshaw.
“I can’t say if that’s what pushed him over the edge of not,” Ellenburg said. “I believe there was a contempt order filed.”
Police had received no contact from Coyle regarding any threat, or possible threat, from Crenshaw.
“We were not notified,” Ellenburg said, adding that he was not aware if Crenshaw had a history of mental problems or not.
Toxicology results were not immediately available, and will be a part of the coroner’s inquest.
Police recovered a 9 mm handgun from the scene, Ellenburg said.
An off-duty Pickens police officer, who was in the parking lot to pick up his wife from work, also witnessed the shooting and made the initial call to police, he said.
“He was not armed at the time,” Ellenburg said. “He immediately responded when the incident took place, and took proper action.”
Ellenburg said he could not verify if there had been dispute over alimony or child support, regarding the divorce proceedings.
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