Charlotte Man Charged with Murder in Shooting Death Behind Indian Land Business

INDIAN LAND, S.C. – Authorities have arrested a Charlotte man in connection with the shooting death of 74-year-old Gary Herendeen, whose body was discovered earlier this week behind a business in Indian Land.

On Friday, January 9, 2026, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office announced that Calvin Lamarr Allen, 44, has been charged with Murder and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Violent Crime.

The Investigation and Timeline

Deputies originally responded to The Designers Marketplace at 9481 Yarborough Road just before noon on Monday, January 5, after a customer discovered Herendeen deceased near his white Chevrolet van in the rear parking lot.

Following an intensive investigation involving the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Task Force, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), detectives determined that the victim and the suspect were acquaintances who had previously lived in the same boarding house in Charlotte.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the two men had “fell out with each other some time ago.”

Investigators believe Herendeen, a part-time employee at The Designers Marketplace, occasionally slept in his van behind the business. Authorities allege that Allen drove from Charlotte to Indian Land in the early morning hours of January 2, 2026, and fatally shot Herendeen multiple times.

The Arrest

Investigators tracked Allen to a residence in Charlotte. Early Friday morning, members of CMPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT), along with SLED and Lancaster County deputies, took Allen into custody without incident.

Law enforcement is currently executing search warrants on Allen’s home and vehicle to process evidence.

“Allen’s arrest is the result of lots of skilled, unrelenting investigative work by our investigators, SLED, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD,” said Sheriff Barry Faile. “The relationships we have with surrounding agencies allow us to multiply our resources with a phone call or two and get things done quickly and safely.”

Homicide Investigation Underway in Indian Land after 74-Year-Old Found Deceased

Next Steps

Allen is currently being held in Charlotte. He will appear before a judge to determine if he will waive extradition to return to Lancaster County voluntarily or if formal extradition proceedings will be required.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

How to Submit a Tip

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office at 803-283-3388 (Option 4).

Tips can also be submitted anonymously via: