Second person in 2021 murder and kidnapping of Jhaz Allison pleads guilty; sentenced to life in prison (2024)

A man connected to the 2021 murder and kidnapping of Jhaz “Silk” Allison will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Austin Martin, 21, of Aiken, entered a guilty plea after admitting his involvement in the 2021 murder and kidnapping of Allison on Wednesday in Aiken County court, according to Second Judicial Circuit Deputy Solicitor Ashley Hammack.

Hammack said after Second Judicial Circuit Judge Roger Young heard statements from the state, Allison’s mother and aunt and the defendant's family, Martin was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Martin is the second person to be sentenced in the case. His co-defendantDahkir Anderson was sentenced to life in prison in connection to the murder and kidnapping after a four-day jury trial in July 2023.

Martin was arrested and charged with two counts of kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, possession of weapon during a violent crime, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, possession of ecstasy, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a schedule II controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a pistol and the destruction, desecration or removal of human remains in 2021, according to jail records.

Trial dates for Martin's other co-defendantsSharla Hamilton and Leon Curry have not been set.

Hamilton was originally placed on home detention and faced drug charges and unlawful caring of a pistol. He was later arrested and charged with murder, destruction, desecration or removal of human remains, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful carrying of a pistol and drug charges, according to previous reports in the Aiken Standard.

Allison was kidnapped and held at gunpoint on June 24, 2021 and was reported missing from his mother, the paper reported

The victim’s mother said that one of the suspects who goes by Doc approached her asking about the whereabouts of his dog.

The victim’s mother said that she told him several times the dog was not at her residence and then offered to let the subject inside her home and he declined, according to an incident report from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.

Allison’s decomposed body was later found in a grave on the 500 block of Harbor Drive. Anderson, Martin and Hamilton were arrested by police near Shiloh Heights and several guns, a bookbag full of drugs and clothes with blood were found.

After his Martin's plea, he was booked into the Aiken County detention center where he will be held before being taken into the custody of South Carolina Department of Corrections.