Terry Tyler sentenced to 60 years in prison for brutal rape, carjacking of Winthrop University student

ROCK HILL, S.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – After pleading guilty in July to an open sentence, Terry Shaimek Tyler was sentenced on Monday by York County Judge McKinnon to 60 years in prison.  

The sentence consists of 30 years on criminal sexual conduct first-degree and a consecutive 30 years on armed robbery. Sentences for kidnapping, grand larceny, unlawful possession of a pistol, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime run concurrent to the aforementioned sentence.

The maximum sentence was 105 years.

The Solicitor General’s office spent Monday morning presenting body camera and surveillance videos detailing the brutal rape, robbery and carjacking of a Winthrop University college student on February 15, 2019. The videos were illuminating from seeing the victim in the hospital room after having a rape kit performed, to seeing Tyler in an interrogation room glibly detailing his version of the rape.

The prosecution concluded their case with the victim and then her parents giving gut-wrenching details of the aftermath of this violent crime, including the victim’s extensive therapy, need for medication, sleepless nights and debilitating fear of intimacy.

Most of the afternoon was spent with the defense’s psychiatrist blaming Tyler’s acts on the adolescent brain, his ADHD and his marijuana use.

The judge spent a significant amount of time challenging the doctor. The defense overall insisted that Tyler could be rehabilitated, to which the judge summarily rejected and said as much including that Tyler’s crimes were “more heinous” than most murders.