Popular moderator of a Facebook group in Lexington killed during car repossession

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – WIS has heard from the mother and daughter of a Lexington County man who investigators say was killed during a car repossession early Wednesday morning.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department has charged 20-year-old Raheem DeAngelo Jackson with killing Steve Hughes.

Jackson is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Hughes was loved by his family and the Lexington County community.

He was known for his involvement in Facebook community groups, particularly the “Happenings in Lexington, South Carolina” group, which had over 46,000 followers.

He encouraged community members to post concerns, politics, events and resources. Hughes also shared details of his personal life with the group and recently asked the community for prayers when his brother passed away.

The Richland County Sheriff’s incident report states that a deputy responded to a shooting call on Fairmont Road in Columbia shortly after midnight Wednesday.

According to this report, when the first officer arrived, he found a tow truck with its lights flashing. The driver’s door was open and riddled with bullet holes. Hughes was sitting inside.

He was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, where he later died.

His daughter Stephanie Hughes tells me that there will never be another person like her father. She only got to know him in recent years.

“I regret that I didn’t get to know him as well as I could have. But you always think you have more time until that’s no longer the case,” she said.

Stephanie Hughes described her father as supportive, encouraging and, above all, funny. She said he often encouraged her to join in the foreclosure business and was always willing to lend a hand.

Steve’s mother, Monica Hughes, has experienced the loss of her other two children. Steve is now the third.

Reflecting on his life, Monica told WIS News that Hughes loved his job. Although she often worried about his safety, he never did.

She said nothing compares to the day she learned of his death.

“I didn’t cry for years, but then I did,” she said. “I didn’t know, I couldn’t even think, nothing. You know, it was just awful.”

Stephanie Hughes told WIS she will never understand her father’s death.

“Someone my age was capable of something like that. When I found out, the feelings that came over me were incomprehensible,” she said.

Monica Hughes said she couldn’t understand why someone would take another person’s life just to get a car back.

She said she would do everything in her power to ensure Jackson serves the maximum prison sentence if convicted.

Nevertheless, the two plan to always carry the memory of Steve Hughes with them.

“But he was one of a kind, there will never be another like him,” said Stephanie Hughes.

Jackson will appear in Richland County General Sessions Court for a bail hearing. A bail date has not yet been set.

Feel more informed, prepared and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our Email newsletterAnd Download our apps. Do you have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.

Copyright 2024 WIS. All rights reserved.