Around 1:30 a.m. on May 7, 2023, the quiet streets of Greenwood, South Carolina, became the setting for a tragedy that felt more like a Hollywood thriller than real life. Kenneth Davis McClendon, a 46-year-old marketing counselor known for his "huge heart," was found dead. He was lying roughly 50 feet away from his mangled BMW 5 Series. His shirt was gone. Only one shoe remained on his foot.
Initially, it looked like a standard hit-and-run. A dark, secluded road and a body tossed into the brush—the kind of thing that makes local headlines for a day and then fades. But the Davis McClendon story 2023 didn't fade. Instead, it unraveled into a high-stakes murder trial involving a jealous husband, a trail of leaking motor oil, and an American Idol audition that would eventually break the internet.
The Oil Trail That Cracked the Case
When investigators arrived at the intersection of Avid Road and Sawgrass Place, they didn't just see a wreck. They saw a breadcrumb trail. A literal line of oil led away from McClendon's body. Law enforcement followed that trail for about half a mile. It stopped right in the driveway of a home where William "Bud" Ackerman Jr. was staying.
Ackerman was the estranged husband of Meredith Haynie, the woman McClendon had been dating for about six months. The divorce was only four weeks from being finalized.
What the evidence showed:
- A white Ford F-250 with a smashed front grille was sitting in the driveway.
- Oil was actively leaking from the truck's undercarriage.
- A palm print—later identified as McClendon's—was found on the hood of the truck.
- Most damningly, McClendon's blood was found on the leg of Ackerman's khaki shorts.
Bud Ackerman claimed it was an accident. He said he was just driving and didn't see McClendon in the dark. But the prosecution didn't buy it. Neither did the jury. They argued that Ackerman had been stalking the couple that night, circling the parking lot of the restaurant where they ate dinner.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With the Minneapolis School Shooting (2025)
Justice in 26 Minutes
The trial, which took place in late 2024, wasn't much of a cliffhanger. After hearing seven days of testimony, the jury took just 26 minutes to return a guilty verdict. That’s almost unheard of for a murder trial.
Honestly, the digital evidence was just too much to overcome. Ackerman's truck had an "infotainment" system that logged his every move. It showed him following McClendon. It showed the moment of impact.
Judge Donald Hocker didn't hold back during sentencing. He called it an "egregious act." He sentenced Ackerman to 45 years in a state penitentiary. No parole. No early out. Just 45 years to think about what he did on that May morning.
🔗 Read more: The Blood Moon Right Now: Why It Turns Red and When to Look Up
A Son’s Song and the American Idol Connection
While the legal battle was intense, the emotional heart of the Davis McClendon story 2023 actually played out on a national stage in early 2025. Davis's son, Freddie McClendon, walked onto the American Idol stage to audition.
He didn't want to talk about the murder. He wanted to talk about his dad. Freddie told judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry that he wrote an album called Present Memories to reclaim his father's legacy. He performed an original song, "You Never Loved Him," which was a raw, heartbreaking letter to the man who took his father away.
"We never got the chance to even try to warn him that you had lost your mind." — Freddie McClendon, lyrics from his audition.
The performance earned him a Golden Ticket to Hollywood. More importantly, it shifted the narrative. People stopped Googling "Davis McClendon murder" and started looking for "Davis McClendon life."
👉 See also: Finding What You Need on the Sex Offenders New York Map
Why This Case Still Haunts South Carolina
This wasn't just some random act of violence. It was a "crime of passion" that felt meticulously planned. The defense tried to paint McClendon as someone who "jumped out" into the road, but the reconstruction experts proved the F-250 swerved into the BMW to hit him.
It’s a reminder of how quickly domestic disputes can turn lethal. The McClendon family, specifically Davis's mother Carie, spoke about the lack of remorse from the Ackerman side. Even at sentencing, Bud's father spoke about his son being a "hard worker" and a "nice guy" who liked deer hunting. He didn't offer an apology.
Actionable Takeaways from the Case
If you're following this story or find yourself in a high-conflict separation, there are a few sobering lessons to pull from the tragedy:
- Digital footprints are permanent. Modern cars are essentially rolling computers. The data from the Ford F-250 was the "silent witness" that truly convicted Ackerman.
- Trust the "Gut" in domestic situations. Meredith Haynie knew something was wrong when Davis didn't come back on the line after putting her on hold. If a situation feels escalating, involving law enforcement earlier for a civil standby or protection order is often necessary.
- Legacy is built by the living. Freddie McClendon showed that you don't have to be defined by the worst thing that happened to your family. You can choose to tell a different story.
The Davis McClendon story 2023 serves as a grim case study in jealousy and a beautiful example of a family's resilience through art.
If you want to support the family or hear the music inspired by Davis, you can look up Freddie McClendon's album Present Memories on major streaming platforms. For those following the legal updates, William Ackerman remains incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.