In the quiet community of Florence County, South Carolina, investigators are piecing together a violent crime that has left neighbors shocked and searching for answers. On Thursday evening, January 22, authorities responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Atlantic Road near Armfield Road in the Effingham area. When deputies arrived just before 6 p.m., they found a car fully engulfed in flames and, inside it, the body of a woman.
The victim has since been identified as Dana Marie Kinlaw, 40, of Olanta. According to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the coroner’s office, investigators discovered that Kinlaw had suffered at least one gunshot wound before the fire.
What began as a routine call quickly turned into a homicide investigation. By Friday, law enforcement announced that two people were taken into custody in connection with the case. Deputies arrested 19-year-old Iryanna Fleming of Pamplico and 31-year-old Daquinn Thomas of Effingham. Both are now facing murder charges along with weapons charges tied to violent crime, authorities said.
Family members of Dana Kinlaw have been left devastated, struggling to come to terms with how abruptly her life ended. Friends describe her as a caring presence in her community — someone who had hopes and daily routines that ended far too soon in tragedy. That loss continues to ripple through towns like Olanta and Effingham, where her name is being spoken with sorrow and disbelief.
Investigators are still working to build a full picture of what happened that January evening. Officials say the next major step will be an autopsy scheduled at the Medical University of South Carolina, which may help clarify the sequence of events that led to Kinlaw’s death.
While the arrests mark a significant development in the investigation, many questions remain unanswered. Why Kinlaw was targeted, what led to the shooting, and how the fire was started are all part of the ongoing inquiry by the sheriff’s office and coroner.
In the meantime, the community has rallied around Kinlaw’s loved ones. Vigil services, support groups, and quiet memorials have sprung up as neighbors and family honor her memory, sharing stories about her life that go beyond the painful way it ended.
As the legal process unfolds, prosecutors are expected to formally file charges and outline their case against Fleming and Thomas in the coming days. Bonds, court dates, and further evidence disclosures will all shape the next chapter of this investigation.
Dana Marie Kinlaw’s death has shaken Florence County deeply. As law enforcement works to bring clarity and justice, people who knew her are holding on to memories of who she was — not just how her life was taken.
