Leesville Man Sentenced to 55 Years for Murder After Dumping Victim's Body in Lexington County Driveway

Leesville, SC 11/13/2026 - A 37-year-old Leesville man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after being convicted of murdering Nicholas Hendrix with a sawed-off shotgun and leaving his body in a residential driveway.

Jesse Gregory was found guilty Friday, November 6, 2026, following a week-long trial in Lexington County. His convictions included Murder, Desecration of Human Remains and Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime.

Circuit Court Judge Debra R. McCaslin presided over the trial and handed down the sentence. Gregory received 55 years for murder, 10 years for desecration of human remains and five years for the weapons charge. The sentences for desecration of human remains and the weapons offense will run concurrently.

Under South Carolina law, murder is classified as a violent, most serious offense and carries no possibility of parole.

Assistant Solicitors Kelly Oppenheimer, Bruce Norton and Caroline Strom prosecuted the case on behalf of the Solicitor's Office. The Lexington County Sheriff's Department conducted the investigation.

Investigation Began With Discovery of Body on Old Barnwell Road

According to investigators, the case began on November 12, 2023, when deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department responded to a residence on Old Barnwell Road after receiving a report that a body had been left in the driveway.

When investigators arrived, they discovered Nicholas Hendrix slumped over with an apparent gunshot wound to his left temple.

Homeowners told investigators they had witnessed a small white SUV pull into their driveway. A man exited the driver's seat, walked around to the front passenger side and removed Hendrix's body from the vehicle before leaving the scene.

While investigators were still at the residence, they received information from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office about an abandoned white Kia Sportage that had been reported stolen in Lexington County earlier that morning.

The vehicle's front passenger side was covered in blood. Gregory, who had been driving the SUV, had fled from deputies into nearby woods.

Following an extensive manhunt, law enforcement officers located and apprehended Gregory.

Confession and Evidence Revealed Details of Shooting

After investigators identified Gregory as the driver of the stolen vehicle, he provided a confession following a Miranda warning.

Gregory acknowledged having previous issues with Hendrix and attempted to characterize the shooting as accidental. However, investigators said forensic findings and physical evidence from the crime scene contradicted his account.

During the investigation, multiple witnesses reported seeing Gregory and Hendrix together during the late evening hours of November 11 and early morning hours of November 12, 2023.

According to the investigation, the two men left a friend's residence in Leesville at approximately 5 a.m. on November 12, 2023.

Investigators determined that while Hendrix was sitting in the front passenger seat of the stolen Kia Sportage, Gregory shot him with a sawed-off shotgun loaded with birdshot.

Rather than immediately seeking assistance, Gregory continued driving through the Leesville and Gilbert areas of Lexington County for several hours with Hendrix's body inside the vehicle.

He eventually drove to the Old Barnwell Road residence, where he removed Hendrix's body and left him in the driveway before fleeing.

Gregory Had Extensive Criminal History

Court information provided by prosecutors also detailed Gregory's extensive prior criminal history.

His previous offenses included burglary, larceny, driving under the influence, domestic violence, domestic violence high and aggravated, assault and battery, shoplifting, failure to stop for blue lights and breaking into a motor vehicle.

Following his conviction and sentencing, Gregory was transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his 55-year active prison sentence.

The case concludes a lengthy investigation into the November 2023 killing of Nicholas Hendrix, with Gregory now facing decades behind bars for the crime.