Man Pleads Guilty in Homicide of USPS Letter Carrier

Florence, SC – An Andrews, SC, man pleaded guilty for his involvement in the homicide of an on-duty USPS letter carrier. Jerome Terrel Davis entered the plea, admitting he aided Trevor Raekwon Seward in the robbery and murder.

On September 23, 2019, Letter Carrier Irene Pressley was delivering mail on her route. At approximately 3:00 p.m., at the intersection of Senate Road and Morrisville Road, she was shot multiple times and died at the scene. According to evidence presented at the change-of-plea hearing, Seward and Davis were anticipating the delivery of a package containing two pounds of marijuana. Rather than deliver the package, Pressley left a notice in Seward’s mailbox instructing the authorized recipient to claim the parcel at the local Post Office.

Shortly after, Seward left his home armed with an AR-15 rifle. Davis picked Seward up in his car, and the two searched for Pressley, locating her near Senate Road in Andrews. There, Seward fired approximately 20 rounds into the back of Pressley’s vehicle, striking her multiple times. Seward then drove the vehicle approximately three miles away to an access road, where he removed mail before abandoning Pressley and the vehicle.

On January 24, 2023, a federal jury deliberated for only 90 minutes before finding Seward guilty of the murder of a federal employee, as well as multiple related charges, including possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm, and drug trafficking conspiracy. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole for the murder of Pressley.

United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins accepted Davis’ guilty plea and will sentence him after reviewing a pre-sentence report from the United States Probation Office. Davis faces up to 20 years in prison for his role in the robbery and murder of Pressley, as well as an additional five years for the marijuana conspiracy conviction.

“The guilty plea by the defendant sends a strong message that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and our partners will work tirelessly to bring justice against individuals responsible for causing harm to our Postal employees,” said Tommy D. Coke, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Irene Pressley was a dedicated public servant in her community. I want to sincerely thank our partners for their support and commitment in identifying and holding accountable the individuals involved in this case to the full extent of the law.

A third suspect, Ricky Jesus Barajas was charged for his role in the drug conspiracy tied to the shooting. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in June 2022.