Rivers

Robinson

E. Meadows

M. Meadows

PAGELAND, S.C. — Police have arrested four men in connection with the shooting of a store clerk during a Sunday robbery.

Devonte Rivers, 19, of Pageland is being charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and use of a weapon in a felony crime. Authorities have also taken three other men into custody in connection with the robbery.

Elontea Meadows, 21, Mitchell Meadows, 19, and Cordarius Robinson, 20, all of Pageland, are each charged with acting as an accessory after the fact of armed robbery and acting as an accessory after the fact of attempted murder.

Pageland Police Chief Larry Brown said Rivers told the three men about the robbery less than an hour after it took place. Brown said not only did the three men fail to come forward with the information, but they hung out with Rivers well into the night.

“They hung out with him for the rest of the night,” Brown said. “One of the suspects hung out with him all night; that’s why we are charging them with accessory after the fact, because they had knowledge of it.”

Brown said Pageland police interviewed three eyewitnesses whose accounts of the Sunday night robbery and shooting led authorities to Rivers.

Brown said the first witness was at the scene at the time of the robbery and described the clothing Rivers was allegedly wearing.

Two other eyewitnesses said they saw a man fitting the description of the shooter as given by the eyewitness to the robbery fleeing the vicinity. Pageland police later identified the suspect as Rivers.

As for the victim, Maria Aguilar is beginning to show improvements during her treatment at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

“She is doing good,” Brown said. “She’s still got a long recovery… she can do some normal things, but (is) still in a lot of pain.”

Aguilar was working at Tienda Mexicana El Latino at 103 W. McGregor St. when witnesses say the man later identified as Rivers robbed the store and shot her once in the head with a revolver.

Reach reporter Randy Garner at 843-537-5261 and follow him on Twitter @CherawChronicle.