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Man sentenced Tuesday for fatally shooting a Spartanburg man

LANDRUM—A Landrum man received a 30-year prison sentence this week for fatally shooting a Spartanburg man in 2018, according to the Spartanburg County Solicitor’s Office. 

Patrick J. Coggins, 26, of 217 Clarice Circle, Landrum, S.C. pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. The shooting killed Terry Steven Whiteside Jr., 38, on Jan. 12, 2018. Whiteside died at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. 

According to police reports, a witness told deputies Coggins was armed with a shotgun when he arrived in a Spartanburg home to accuse Whiteside of taking money. 

Whiteside was shot during a struggle over the gun and Coggins fled the scene in a black Ford Ranger. 

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office issued warrants for murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime at the time and sent out local and regional broadcasts to area law enforcement, including the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Officers at the time with Polk County spotted the suspect vehicle in the Food Lion parking lot in Columbus and arrested Coggins. Columbus and Tryon Police Departments assisted with the arrest, with Coggins taken into custody in Columbus without incident, according to Polk County Sheriff reports. Coggins was later extradited to Spartanburg County to face the original murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime charges.

Polk County recovered the shotgun in Coggins’ truck in 2018. 

Following his arrest, Coggins admitted to shooting Whiteside but his story did not match the witness’ account of what happened. 

Coggins had previous convictions for driving under the influence, third-degree assault and battery and petty larceny, according to a press release from Solicitor Barry Barnette. Assistant Solicitor Eddie Hunter prosecuted Coggins’ case on Tuesday.