BEAUFORT MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ST. HELENA MURDER

United States Attorney W. Walter Walkins announced today that Gerome Fripp, age 34, of St. Helena Island, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to the February 28, 2005, murder of Vincent “Kissy” Wilson, also of St. Helena Island. Fripp agreed as part of his plea to be sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. United States District Judge Bryan Harwell will impose Fripp’s sentence after a presentence report is prepared in his case. There is no parole in the federal system.

Evidence in the case showed that Fripp and Winston Syndab, of Horry County, planned to rob Vincent Wilson, after they learned Wilson had received a large shipment of cocaine. Both men went armed to Wilson’s residence, located at 76 Tombee Road, and encountered Wilson and two of his associates watching television in a shed behind his home. Upon realizing that Wilson was also armed, Syndab fired seven rounds at Wilson and his associates. One bullet struck Wilson in the head killing him instantly, and two bullets struck one of Wilson’s associates in the hip. Fripp also fired his gun during the robbery attempt. Fripp and Syndab them fled from the scene on foot.

Syndab was recently sentenced in federal court to 35 imprisonment for his involvement in the murder. Both men had extensive criminal records. Fripp was previously convicted in state court of a drug-related homicide that occurred in Beaufort in 1993.

The Wilson murder was investigated by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

United States Attorney Walt Wilkins stated, “I am extremely grateful for the hard work and incredible dedication of the state and federal officers in this case. I particularly want to thank the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, which did an outstanding job investigating this murder. Our office looks forward to the opportunity to partner with Sheriff Tanner and his staff in the future.”

Wilkins stated that the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rose Mary Parham of the Florence Office.