Teen now Charged with Murder in 2024 Shooting of Younger Brother

Solicitor’s Office says evidence supports malice; suspect held without bond

By Coastal Carolina News Staff Writer

MYRTLE BEACH, SC — A Myrtle Beach teenager is now facing a murder charge in the 2024 shooting death of his 13‑year‑old brother, an incident investigators say was staged to look like a drive‑by attack before evidence later pointed back inside the home.

According to arrest warrants and court filings, 17‑year‑old Eric (Erik) Douglas Smalls is accused of shooting his younger brother, Jaiden Smalls, on Sept. 1, 2024, inside a residence on Terrace View Court. Investigators allege the fatal shot struck Jaiden in the face while both were inside a bedroom.

Authorities say Smalls fired additional rounds out of a window immediately afterward, an act detectives believe was intended to mimic an external shooting. Warrants also state that Smalls attempted to dispose of shell casings by flushing them down a toilet and hid the firearm, described as a Glock 17 9mm pistol, inside a downstairs dishwasher.

Smalls initially reported the incident as a drive‑by shooting. Detectives later determined the trajectory and location of the rounds were inconsistent with that account, leading to his arrest on September 10, 2024. Because he was a minor at the time, he was placed under the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.

The Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office reviewed the case and upgraded the charge from involuntary manslaughter to murder, citing evidence supporting malice aforethought. After Smalls turned 17 in August 2026, he was transferred to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.

Court records do not indicate a motive, and authorities have not released additional details about what may have led to the shooting. The investigation remains active.

Disclaimer: This report is based solely on information released by law enforcement and court documents. All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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