Bio

David Clayton Hill was born on June 9, 1964, and was raised in Georgetown, South Carolina. Public accounts stated that he was adopted as a baby and grew up in the Georgetown area. Before the murder case, he was known to have worked in restaurants and other jobs along the South Carolina coast.

Hill had a criminal history that included traffic violations, marijuana offenses, and other minor crimes. However, available reports stated that he did not have a major history of violent crime before the killing of Spencer Guerry. At the time of the shooting, Hill was driving a silver Honda Prelude with expired Colorado plates, had no valid driver’s license, and had marijuana in the car.

Murder Story

On March 7, 1994, Georgetown Deputy Police Chief Spencer Guerry stopped David Clayton Hill’s silver Honda Prelude in the parking lot of a car wash in Georgetown, South Carolina. The vehicle had expired Colorado license plates, and Hill did not have a valid driver’s license.

Guerry took Hill’s identification card and vehicle registration, then returned to his patrol car to call the information in to dispatch. As he walked back toward Hill’s vehicle, he was shot once through the cheek. Despite the severe wound, Guerry managed to radio for help before he collapsed. His identification card and registration from Hill were later found in Guerry’s shirt pocket. Guerry died from his injuries on March 9, 1994.

After the shooting, Hill drove away. He later went to his home, picked up his girlfriend and belongings, then went to his mother’s mobile home. Prosecutors said he tried to hide or destroy evidence, including abandoning his car, washing his clothes, pouring bleach on his hands, and asking his girlfriend to report the car stolen. Hill later called police and was arrested the same day.

At trial, Hill claimed another man had been hiding in the back seat of his car and had shot Guerry. Several witnesses testified that Hill was the only person seen in the Honda. A jury convicted him in October 1995 and sentenced him to death. His conviction and sentence were later upheld on appeal.

David Clayton Hill was executed by lethal injection in South Carolina on March 19, 2004. He made no apology or confession before the execution. His final statement was a request to read Philippians 1:9–23.