Whitmire Man Pleads Guilty To 2021 Murder
A Whitmire man has pled guilty to Murder for a December 19, 2021, shooting death of a Winnsboro man on Hwy 66 near the Newberry/Laurens County line.
Blaize Pedro Plaza, 18 years old at the time of the incident and now 2, plead guilty in front of 8th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Frank Addy Wednesday in Laurens County for the offense of Murder.
Plaza was sentenced to 30 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
On the early morning hours of December 19, 2021, deputies responded to a call of a suspicious male in the roadway on Hwy 66 near Newberry/Laurens County line. They located Jamal Alston who had been shot several times, and they began to render medical attention while waiting on an ambulance.
Jamal Alston was able to relay to the deputies that he had picked up a white/male and white/female who committed this offense and took his vehicle. He (Jamal Alston) was transported to Spartanburg Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators were able to speak with Alston’s family and obtain access to his social media accounts, which lead to the identification of Blaize Plaza. Plaza and Alston were having conversation through social media to meet and ride around. Once Alston got to Plaza’s home, Plaza and a juvenile female got in the car with Alston and left. After a short drive, Plaza had Alston to pull over on Hwy 66 near the county line to perform a biological function. When Plaza returned to the front passenger side of the vehicle, the door would not open and had to be opened from the inside by Alston. When Plaza got in the vehicle, he pulled out a handgun and began shooting at Alston, who was able to exit the vehicle to try and escape the gunfire, however, was struck several times. Plaza then got in the vehicle with the female juvenile and fled the scene to Eaves Road in Union County where he burned the vehicle to conceal evidence.
“The investigation into this tragic event is just a prime example of the qualified and dedicated Investigators at the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office,” said Sheriff Foster. “The time that Blaize Plaza will serve in no way justifies the continued loss Jamal Alston’s family faces every day, but gives some sense of justice for this unwarranted action,” said Sheriff Foster.
Sheriff Foster thanks his team of investigators for their long hours work, dedication, and compassion through this investigation, and to the 8th Judicial Solicitors Office for bringing this case to justice and closure.
A Whitmire man has pled guilty to Murder for a December 19, 2021, shooting death of a Winnsboro man on Hwy 66 near the Newberry/Laurens County line.
Blaize Pedro Plaza, 18 years old at the time of the incident and now 2, plead guilty in front of 8th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Frank Addy Wednesday in Laurens County for the offense of Murder.
Plaza was sentenced to 30 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
On the early morning hours of December 19, 2021, deputies responded to a call of a suspicious male in the roadway on Hwy 66 near Newberry/Laurens County line. They located Jamal Alston who had been shot several times, and they began to render medical attention while waiting on an ambulance.
Jamal Alston was able to relay to the deputies that he had picked up a white/male and white/female who committed this offense and took his vehicle. He (Jamal Alston) was transported to Spartanburg Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators were able to speak with Alston’s family and obtain access to his social media accounts, which lead to the identification of Blaize Plaza. Plaza and Alston were having conversation through social media to meet and ride around. Once Alston got to Plaza’s home, Plaza and a juvenile female got in the car with Alston and left. After a short drive, Plaza had Alston to pull over on Hwy 66 near the county line to perform a biological function. When Plaza returned to the front passenger side of the vehicle, the door would not open and had to be opened from the inside by Alston. When Plaza got in the vehicle, he pulled out a handgun and began shooting at Alston, who was able to exit the vehicle to try and escape the gunfire, however, was struck several times. Plaza then got in the vehicle with the female juvenile and fled the scene to Eaves Road in Union County where he burned the vehicle to conceal evidence.
“The investigation into this tragic event is just a prime example of the qualified and dedicated Investigators at the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office,” said Sheriff Foster. “The time that Blaize Plaza will serve in no way justifies the continued loss Jamal Alston’s family faces every day, but gives some sense of justice for this unwarranted action,” said Sheriff Foster.
Sheriff Foster thanks his team of investigators for their long hours work, dedication, and compassion through this investigation, and to the 8th Judicial Solicitors Office for bringing this case to justice and closure.
