Johns Island man sentenced to life for 2019 murder of Benedict College Student

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Tyler Givens, a 25-year-old from Johns Island, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2019 murder of Donovan Smalls, a 20-year-old Benedict College student.

The sentencing follows a week-long trial in Orangeburg County, where Givens was convicted of multiple charges, including murder, assault, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

The incident occurred on April 14, 2019, at a house party on Summers Avenue in Orangeburg. Surveillance footage showed nearly 100 people at the event when, shortly after 2:00 a.m., gunfire erupted, sending attendees scrambling for safety. Smalls, who was studying electrical engineering, was shot in the head as he tried to flee and tragically died at the scene. A female student from Claflin University was also injured but survived after being shot in the chest.

During the trial, Senior Assistant Solicitor Phil Giese described the chaotic scene as a “war zone” in which Givens actively participated. Evidence presented in court included video footage showing Givens retrieving a handgun from his vehicle before firing ten shots into the crowd. He then fled the scene in his vehicle.

Despite testimony from defense expert Kenny Kinsey, who argued that it was “scientifically impossible” for Givens to have been the shooter, the jury found Givens guilty on all counts after just two hours of deliberation.

At the sentencing, the mother of Donovan Smalls spoke about her ongoing grief, mentioning how she accepted her son’s diploma in his place during what would have been his graduation ceremony. Benedict College honored Smalls by leaving an empty chair with his cap and gown at the ceremony.

Judge Heath Taylor, who presided over the case, voiced his concerns about the increasing violence among young people, warning that if this trend continues, “Half of young men will be dead while the other half are in prison.” Givens will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Solicitor Phil Giese, Assistant Solicitor Mark Hinds, and Senior Litigation Counsel Bethany Miles. The Solicitor’s Office expressed gratitude to the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the victims’ families for their strength and support throughout the investigation and trial.

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