A South Carolina honor student and athlete was found dead in Mauldin, South Carolina on Thursday. The 16-year-old boy, Joshua Meeks, was a junior at Mauldin High School.
His death appears to have been a murder, and a suspect in his killing has been apprehended by the authorities.
Joshua Meeks was a football player and had stellar grades. By all accounts, Meeks was a respected and excellent student, classmate and friend. The school currently has grief counselors on hand for students struggling with the loss of their classmate.
Lynn Mccraw Caroleo, a volunteer who knew Meeks when he was in Elementary and Middle school, depicts Meeks as a stoic, quiet and good young boy. “He was a quiet child. When you volunteer for five years at a school, you get to know so many children and their behaviors,” Caroleo stated in an interview. “Josh was always good. I’m just sick about this.”
Meeks was reported missing on Tuesday night. His vehicle was found with an alarming amount of blood in it very close to the suspect, Sosa Croft’s, home. Croft, who is 18, was enrolled in J.L. Mann high school until the 2016-2017 season, when he dropped out.
According to authorities, it would appear Croft shot Meeks on the evening of Tuesday the 29th after what appears to have been a drug deal. Croft has been arrested and is being charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, armed robbery, and grand larceny.
Investigators have stated that it’s currently unclear if Croft was acting alone and currently consider this an ongoing investigation. There may be other accomplices in Meeks’ death still at large. Croft is currently being held without bond. At the time of his arrest, he had no prior criminal record.
What led to Meeks’ death is still unclear. Whether Croft pulled the trigger or was merely present during the attack is still unclear. Investigators are looking further into the killing at time of writing.
