Federal trial underway for man accused of kidnapping, killing 80-year-old Horry County grandmother

FLORENCE, S.C. (WMBF) – The trial started on Wednesday morning for a man accused of kidnapping an 80-year-old woman from her home in Nichols and then killing her.

WMBF News reporter Ale Espinosa is inside the federal courtroom for the trial and will have updates from the trial starting at 5 p.m. on WMBF News.

Dominique Brand is charged with kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in the death of a person in a manner to constitute murder.

The charges stem from the death of Mary Ann Elvington, whose kidnapping and death spanned two counties.

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Authorities said that Brand kidnapped Mary Ann Elvington from her home in Nichols in March 2021, forced her to drive him to North Carolina and then back to South Carolina. They said he ended up shooting and killing her in Marion County behind an abandoned grocery store.

Brand waived his right to a jury trial and instead opted for a bench trial.

A bench trial is when evidence will be presented to a judge rather than a jury, and the judge will decide whether the defendant is guilty or not.

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