Derrick Davon Sligh, age 29, received a sentence of 40 years in prison following his guilty plea to Murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Marquita “Tasha” Mobley, on November 19, 2017. Sligh was facing a possible sentence of life in prison on the murder charge. Eleventh Circuit Chief Administrative Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr. imposed a sentence of 40 years during the sentencing hearing this afternoon in Lexington County. Under South Carolina law, a person sentenced for Murder is not eligible for parole and the sentence must be served in its entirety.
Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard stated, “We continue our efforts to curtail domestic abuse and aggressively prosecute these crimes of violence.” Hubbard further expressed, “An often overlooked aspect of domestic violence is its direct impact on children living in the home. In Lexington County, 4 out of 5 domestic violence murders prosecuted in 2017 - 2018 were committed in the presence of children. We must ensure that children in our community remain safe and protected from such violence.”
This case was prosecuted by 11th Circuit Solicitor Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes. The investigation was conducted by Inv. Cal Thomas and Sgt. Jason Merrill of the Cayce Department of Public Safety.
Sligh and Mobley had been living together at an apartment located at 1700 Stahl Street in Cayce. Mobley was the parent of a 10 year old child. In the early morning hours of November 19th, Sligh pulled a handgun and shot Marquita Mobley in the bedroom during a verbal argument. Mobley was severely wounded and fell to the floor.
The investigation and eyewitness accounts determined that Sligh then left the bedroom and shot Mobley’s brother, Jirmane Mobley, age 29, who was seated on a couch in the living room area of the home. Sligh fired multiple shots at Jirmane Mobley, striking and seriously injuring him. Sligh then returned to the bedroom where Marquita Mobley lay injured on the floor and fired additional shots, fatally wounding her. Both Marquita Mobley and her brother, Jirmane Mobley, were unarmed. The investigation determined that Sligh fired all twelve (12) rounds from his handgun during the rampage. Sligh then fled the scene in a vehicle and discarded the murder weapon.
Marquita Mobley’s young child was present in the home and heard the crime as it occurred. He bravely assisted in communicating with a 911 dispatcher from a phone inside the residence. The Cayce Department of Public Safety and EMS medics arrived quickly to the scene and rendered aid.
Jirmane Mobley sustained a gunshot wound to his back and has been left paralyzed. Sligh also pled guilty to the charge of Attempted Murder for the shooting of Jirmane Mobley, resulting in a concurrent sentence of 30 years from Judge Griffith. Jirmane Mobley appeared at the sentencing hearing along with family members.
An autopsy revealed that Marquita Mobley, age 33, suffered five (5) gunshot wounds, including a fatal gunshot wound to her head and a gunshot wound to her back.
Following the murder, Cayce DPS carried out the investigation and were assisted by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED). During the initial stages of the investigation, the child witness was able to provide law enforcement with material information about the crime. A manhunt for Sligh ensued and ultimately led to his apprehension in Richland County later the same day.
During the sentencing hearing, Cindy Smalls, the mother of Marquita Mobley, prepared a statement for Judge Griffith. In the statement, she expressed:
“Last year, on the night of November 19th, you committed a monstrous act that truly shattered my heart and turned many people’s lives upside down. A ten year old, innocent child, witnessed when you shot through their home. A place a child should feel safe.”
“My daughter is no longer with us. By the Grace of God, my son is alive but paralyzed. His life is forever changed … I am forever changed, all because of your choices and actions.”
“What you did broke my heart, Derrick. May The Grace of God be with you.”
At the time of her death, Marquita “Tasha” Mobley was employed by The Community Table, a restaurant on campus at the University of South Carolina. Friends, family, and co-workers described Mobley as dedicated, hardworking, and a “caring spirit.” In addition to her 10 year old son, she was also the mother of a teenage daughter.