Man Sentenced to 20 Years for 2023 Head Shot

Bernard "Berney" Garvin Jr., 35, was sentenced this week to 20 years in prison and five years of probation for the 2023 shooting of a woman in Beaufort County. A jury convicted him of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The incident occurred in June 2023 at the Hilton Head Gardens apartment complex.

Deputies from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene after receiving reports of a shooting. They found a pool of blood on the pavement, spent shell casings, and bullet damage to a parked minivan. Investigators determined that the female victim had been driving a friend’s minivan when she arrived at the complex. She intended to pick up a male friend who had followed in a second vehicle.

As the two cars entered the parking lot, witnesses saw Garvin and another woman struggling over a liquor bottle. Other attendees of an all-day party were scattered around the area. The victim got out of the minivan and asked Garvin why he was beating the other woman. The two began arguing, and the male friend in the second car tried to urge the victim to get into his vehicle to leave.

During the exchange, Garvin pulled out a gun and shot the woman in the head. Jeff Kidd, a spokesman for the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, stated that Garvin fired at least four shots. The victim was transported to a hospital and later transferred to another facility, where doctors placed her in intensive care to monitor for possible brain bleeding.

Several witnesses identified Garvin as the shooter. Beaufort County authorities located and arrested him in Georgia three months after the shooting. Court records show Garvin has a criminal history dating back to 2011. His prior convictions include assault and battery, pointing and presenting a firearm, driving under suspension, and parole violations.

The judge delivered the sentence following the guilty verdict. Garvin will serve the full 20-year prison term before becoming eligible for the five-year probation period. The case closed a three-year investigation into the violent dispute that started over a verbal argument in the parking lot.