Repeat offender who killed man to get money for daughter’s prom gets life sentence

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - A man with a history of violent crime has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a Dorchester County man in front of his son.

The First Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced that a Dorchester County jury found 43-year-old Ivington Allen of St. George guilty of the murder of James “Torrell” Williams of Harleyville.

Allen was also sentenced to 20 years for attempted armed robbery.

Authorities say Allen knocked on the door of Williams’ home in 2018, attempted to rob him, then shot him in front of Williams’ son. According to prosecutors, Allen’s motive for killing Williams was so that Allen could get money for his daughter’s prom.

Allen was then arrested in 2019 following a traffic stop.

April 2018 shooting of James Williams

Allen’s conviction stems from an incident on the morning of April 21, 2018 when he knocked on the door of the Williams’ home and demanded money from James Williams who refused.

Prosecutors say Allen then went to his car, got a gun, returned to the home and attempted to rob Williams at gunpoint. A struggle over the gun ensued and Allen shot Williams once in the stomach.

“The victim’s 13-year-old son was asleep on the couch by the front door during the incident and awoke to the sound of the gunshot,” officials with the solicitor’s office said. “Williams would succumb to that injury 10 days later while in hospice care.”

Authorities said prior to his death, Williams repeatedly told law enforcement and his family members that Allen had shot him. According to prosecutors, Williams said when Allen pointed the gun to his head he thought, “Lord don’t let this man kill me in front of my son,” and so, prosecutors said he chose to fight.

Arrest, release of Ivington Allen in 2019

Allen fled the scene following the shooting, and nine months later in January of 2019 he was arrested on unrelated charges following a traffic stop in Union County.

“During the stop, Allen gave law enforcement a fake ID, and he was found to be in possession of a handgun and trafficking weight of approximately 35 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy),” the solicitor’s office said. “Those charges remain pending in Union County.”

He was then released on a $150,000 bond and placed on electronic monitoring and house arrest on those charges.

However, the solicitor’s office moved to revoke Allen’s bond after receiving information he had been repeatedly violating the terms of his house arrest over a several month period

“This information was provided by sources other than the bonding company responsible for monitoring Allen’s whereabouts,” the solicitor’s office said. “Solicitor Pascoe is investigating the circumstances surrounding why these violations were not relayed to the 1st Circuit by the bonding company. Upon hearing the bond motion, the Honorable Maite Murphy revoked Allen’s bond accordingly.”

History of violent crime

Officials with the First Circuit Solicitor’s Office say Allen has history of violent crime.

“In 1999 Allen was convicted of carjacking, strong arm robbery, possession of a weapon during a commission of violent crime, and grand larceny,” prosecutors said. “In 2002, he was convicted of attempted armed robbery, failure to stop for blue lights, and assault and battery with intent to kill.”

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