It was just after 1:00 a.m. in Greenwood, South Carolina. A quiet, secluded dead-end street. Most people were asleep, but for 46-year-old Davis McClendon, the world was about to end in a mess of twisted metal and dark intent.
When deputies arrived at the scene on May 7, 2023, Davis McClendon wasn't in his car. His BMW 5 Series was mangled, sitting in the middle of the road like a discarded toy. Debris was everywhere. But Davis himself? He was lying 50 feet away, near the edge of the woods. He was missing a shoe. His shirt was gone. It looked like a hit-and-run, the kind of tragic accident that happens on dark roads when someone isn't paying attention. Except, it wasn't an accident. Not even close.
What Really Happened to Davis McClendon on May 7, 2023?
The initial scene was weird. Investigators noticed it immediately. Why was he so far from the car? Why were his clothes scattered? Then, they found the trail. A literal trail of oil.
It leaked from the vehicle that hit him and led investigators straight to a house just half a mile away. In the driveway sat a white Ford F-250 pickup truck. It was still leaking. The front grille was busted, and there was a distinct palm print on the hood. This wasn't some random traveler passing through. It was William "Bud" Ackerman Jr., a local businessman.
Basically, this wasn't just a crash. It was a confrontation that turned into a homicide.
💡 You might also like: JD Vance River Raised Controversy: What Really Happened in Ohio
Prosecutors later argued that Ackerman didn't just stumble upon McClendon. He hunted him. The two men were linked by Meredith Haynie. She was Ackerman’s soon-to-be ex-wife, and she had started dating McClendon about six months prior. On the night of the incident, Haynie and McClendon had been out at "Break on the Lake" and then a club called Key West. Ackerman had been obsessively calling and texting her all night.
The Evidence That Flipped the Case
Honestly, the most chilling part of this whole thing is how technology caught him. We like to think of "murder mysteries" as being solved by fingerprints or DNA—and while McClendon's blood was actually found on Ackerman's shorts—it was the truck that really talked.
Modern vehicles are basically rolling computers. Investigators pulled data from the F-250’s infotainment system. It showed exactly where the truck had been, how fast it was going, and the precise moment of impact. It showed Ackerman circling the parking lot of the restaurant where the couple was eating earlier that night.
Then there was the Ring camera footage. A nearby neighbor’s doorbell camera didn't just catch the visual; it caught the sound. You can hear a "cowardly yell" directed at McClendon’s body after the impact.
📖 Related: Who's the Next Pope: Why Most Predictions Are Basically Guesswork
- The Victim: Kenneth Davis McClendon, a beloved father of three and a marketing counselor at Wesley Commons.
- The Defendant: William "Bud" Ackerman Jr., who claimed it was a tragic accident caused by McClendon standing in the middle of a dark road.
- The Verdict: It took a jury only 26 minutes to decide. On October 5, 2024, they found Ackerman guilty of murder.
A Legacy Beyond the Courtroom
The tragedy of May 7, 2023, for Davis McClendon didn't end with a prison sentence. It left a hole in the Greenwood community. Davis was the guy everyone called "everyone's best friend." He was a diehard Clemson fan who spent 12 years working at a retirement community, not just doing a job, but becoming a part of the residents' lives.
His son, Freddie McClendon, turned that grief into something powerful. About a year after the murder, Freddie appeared on American Idol. He sang a tribute to his father, a moment that went viral and brought the story back into the national spotlight. It was a raw, heart-wrenching performance that showed just how much Davis meant to his family.
Lessons from the Investigation
Looking back, this case is a textbook example of how domestic tensions can escalate into extreme violence. It also highlights how "hit-and-run" defenses rarely hold up in the age of digital forensics.
If you're following cases like this, it's a reminder that the "hidden" data in our lives—GPS logs, infotainment systems, doorbell cameras—often tells a truer story than any witness. The defense tried to say Davis was "looking for a fight" or standing where he couldn't be seen. But the oil trail, the digital breadcrumbs, and the 37-inch tires of that F-250 told a different story.
👉 See also: Recent Obituaries in Charlottesville VA: What Most People Get Wrong
For those looking for justice in similar tragedies, the McClendon case shows the importance of:
- Immediate Scene Preservation: That oil trail would have vanished in the first rain.
- Digital Forensic Audits: Never ignore the "black box" data in modern vehicles.
- Community Witness Testimony: Friends and coworkers provided the character evidence that countered the defense's attempts to smear the victim.
Ackerman was eventually sentenced to 45 years in prison. He’s currently serving that time, while the McClendon family continues to honor Davis through music and memory. It’s a heavy story, one that reminds us how quickly a life can be stolen by a moment of unchecked rage.
To help the family or stay updated on local safety initiatives, many in Greenwood still contribute to the McClendon Children’s Fund. Supporting local victim advocacy groups is also a tangible way to ensure that families going through similar trauma have the resources they need during the long road to a trial.