COLUMBIA, S.C. (Court TV) — The owner of a Shell convenience store and gas station is standing trial on charges he murdered an unarmed teenager at his business.
Rick Chow (Richland Sheriff’s Department via Law & Crime)
Rick Chow, 61, is charged with the murder of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton and has pleaded not guilty.
In court documents reviewed by Law & Crime, investigators said that Chow chased the victim and shot him in the back in May 2023, despite lacking any evidence that the teen was shoplifting. Deputies said there was no evidence of a physical confrontation or that the teenager had pointed a gun at the defendant. At a news conference announcing the charges, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said that Chow chased the victim off of the store’s property and towards an apartment complex before opening fire, hitting Carmack-Belton in the back.
Detectives at the scene conceded that Carmack-Belton had a weapon, but said that Chow lacked any basis to open fire on the teen. Chow’s defense failed to convince Judge Scott Sprouse to dismiss the murder charge following a two-day “Stand Your Ground” hearing, The State reported.
Cyrus Carmack-Belton (Rutherford Law via ABC News)
At a final pretrial hearing on Friday, Judge Heath Taylor agreed to grant the defense’s request to suppress evidence Chow had previous interactions with law enforcement. Prosecutors revealed at the hearing that the sheriff’s department had taken the “extraordinary” step to invite him in to discuss the limits of his legal use of force. Chow was never charged in any previous incident, and Taylor said the jury won’t hear about the conversation unless the defense opens the door by making the claim that the defendant never had prior contact with deputies.
One of Chow’s attorneys, Jack Swerling, had fought to have the trial moved out of Richland County, but that request was denied, WIS reported. The request was made due to pretrial publicity; Swerling told the judge that he rarely requests a change of venue but felt it was necessary to find an impartial jury. Taylor assured the defense that jurors would be properly screened.
Carmack-Belton was remembered by Summit Parkway Middle School as “intelligent, humorous with a quick wit and well-liked by his classmates.” The school said his goals were to own a tattoo shop and be famous one day.
DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 2 – 5/28/26
DAY 1 – 5/27/26
- LIVESTREAM: SC v. Rick Chow – Day 1 | The Convenience Store Killing Trial
- Byron Gipson delivered opening statements for the prosecution.
- Rick Chow believed that 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton’s life was worth less than four bottles of water.
- Chow’s wife was watching the victim when Carmack-Belton put four bottles of water in his backpack, but he put them back.
- The Chow family accused the teen of stealing the water and verbally confronted him.
- The father and son chased the teen; Chow fatally shot him in the back.
- Jack Swerling delivered opening statements for the defense.
- Questioned why a 14-year-old was illegally possessing a pistol.
- The gun was loaded; the victim illegally entered the store.
- Chow had a concealed weapons permit and believed his family was at risk.
- Claimed the victim was pointing the gun at Chow’s son.
- Deputy Derek Inglis
- Was initially responding to an unrelated call for a break-in at an apartment when he was dispatched to a shooting at a Shell gas station.
- Upon arrival, he found the victim on the ground receiving chest compressions from a bystander, with multiple witnesses nearby.
- Confirmed he was the first officer on the scene and began assisting with emergency response efforts until paramedics arrived.
- The jury watched bodycam from the scene.
- Key physical evidence was found, including a backpack, a 9mm pistol, a tactical light/laser attachment and a shell casing.
- Surveillance footage from inside the convenience store showed the defendant and the victim; the video showed the victim did not actually steal any items from the store.
- The defense argued that the gun was loaded with a round in the chamber, ready to fire when it was secured.
- Justin Martin, Bodycam video analyst
- Reviewed bodycamera videos in the case and created a PowerPoint presentation.
- Lori Ann Carson, eyewitness
- Was at the store buying candy for her grandchildren when she saw the victim come out of the store and the defendant and the defendant’s son running after him.
- Did not see anything in the victim’s hand. She described Carmack-Belton as looking “frightened and scared.”
- Kennedy Carson, eyewitness
- Was with her family pulling into the Shell gas station when she saw the victim running out of the store, followed by the defendant and the defendant’s son.
- The victim’s shoe flew off as he ran and he was holding his pants up with one hand while pumping his other arm as he sprinted away. She repeatedly said she never saw a gun or anything else in the victim’s hands.
