Murder trial begins for Lexington County man accused of killing 11-year-old girl in shooting
A 30-year-old Lexington County man is on trial this week for the killing of an 11-year-old girl that happened a year ago.
Quayshaun Xzander Clark, of Batesburg, faces charges of murder, attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime stemming from the June 9, 2021, shooting death of a fourth-grade girl during a house party near Batesburg-Leesville.
At the time, police said they believed the shooting was gang-related. Police accused Clark of firing a semi-automatic pistol into a home in the 700 block of Madera Road while a party was taking place.
The gunfire splayed into multiple homes in the area, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said at the time, including a mobile home where 11-year-old Taysha Michelle Jay was inside. Jay was killed at the scene when she was hit by a bullet that entered the mobile home. Another young girl inside the home also was shot but survived after she was taken to an area hospital. The resident of that mobile home was not hosting the party, according to deputies at the time.
Clark has been held at the Lexington County Detention Center since last June.
