A Walterboro woman who tracked her estranged husband and fatally shot the woman sitting in a car with him has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Michelle Gladys Bingley, 43, of Wichman Street was convicted of murder in connection with the April 28, 2025, death of Tineseing Lachell Johns, following a three-day trial at the Colleton County Courthouse.
A jury additionally found Bingley guilty of domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Circuit Court Judge Donald B. Hocker imposed the sentence.
Officers responded to Grace Street at approximately 11:30 p.m. on the night of the shooting after a caller reported an unresponsive woman. Upon arrival, police discovered Johns on the ground outside her vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound beneath her arm. She was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. An autopsy conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina confirmed the cause of death as a homicide resulting from a gunshot wound.
Bingley surrendered to police several days following the confrontation. According to investigators, Bingley stated that she suspected her husband of infidelity and used his Google account to locate him at his mother’s residence.
Bingley told detectives she “lost her mind” when her husband refused to exit Johns’ vehicle. She then fired shots into the car and fled the scene.
“I didn’t mean to do anything,” Bingley told investigators during her interview. “I just did it to scare him.”
Later during questioning, she acknowledged, “I killed somebody.”
Bingley informed police that she discarded the pink revolver from her window while driving away and subsequently abandoned her vehicle. Authorities were never able to recover the weapon.
Prosecutors presented 12 witnesses during the trial, including Sgt. Whitlee Fisk of the Walterboro Police Department. Fisk testified that crime scene investigators recovered a .38-caliber bullet from Johns’ vehicle, and the bullet retrieved from the victim’s body during the autopsy was consistent with the mechanics of a revolver.
Assistant Solicitor Tameaka A. Legette of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.
“Domestic violence has devastating and far-reaching consequences for families and communities,” Legette said. “As we recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this case underscores the importance of early intervention and accountability. Our office remains committed to seeking justice for victims and ensuring that violent acts such as these are thoroughly prosecuted.”
Anyone experiencing domestic abuse may seek assistance through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or by texting “START” to 88788.
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