Authorities in Greenwood, South Carolina, responded to a deserted intersection after 1 a.m. on May 7, 2023, where they found a mangled BMW sedan in the road with debris scattered around it. The car's owner, 46-year-old Davis McClendon, was found fatally injured on the shoulder near the woods, approximately 50 feet away from his vehicle. His shirt and shoe were discovered on the pavement, and there was no other vehicle with relevant damage at the scene.
Prosecutors allege that Bud Ackerman, the soon-to-be-ex-husband of McClendon’s girlfriend Meredith Haynie, targeted McClendon that night. Ackerman has claimed the collision was accidental. However, prosecutors argue that the touch screen computer in Ackerman’s Ford F-250 pickup truck provides critical evidence of intent, indicating he struck McClendon with "malice aforethought."
McClendon’s girlfriend, Meredith Haynie, was present when authorities arrived but stated she had not witnessed the collision. Haynie told investigators she had been on a date with McClendon that evening, beginning at a restaurant called Break on the Lake, followed by a party and then a visit to the Key West club. McClendon left the club abruptly at 12:51 a.m., and Haynie suspected he was meeting Ackerman, who had been critical of their relationship.
The truck’s dashboard computer is now a focal point in the prosecution’s case, suggesting Ackerman’s actions were premeditated. Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the digital evidence, but the case hinges on whether the data supports the claim of intentional targeting.
The investigation remains ongoing, with prosecutors building their case around the truck’s computer records and other forensic evidence gathered at the scene.