Investigators allege Daryl Lowry was attacked during an altercation and held underwater at a dock in McCormick County.
MODOC, S.C. — A 17-year-old has been charged with murder after authorities found a 13-year-old boy dead at a residential boat dock on Strom Thurmond Lake, South Carolina investigators said.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Landen Austin Moore in connection with the July 20 death of Daryl Martinez Lowry. An arrest warrant alleges that Moore and an unidentified 16-year-old held Lowry underwater during an altercation at the dock. Moore has not been convicted, and the allegations against him must be proven in court.
McCormick County deputies responded at about 7 a.m. to a dock in the Modoc Shores community after receiving a report of a body in the water. The McCormick County Coroner’s Office confirmed that a teenage boy had been found dead. Authorities later identified him as Lowry.
Investigators said Lowry, Moore and the younger teenager became involved in a physical confrontation at the dock. The warrant accuses Moore of holding Lowry underwater until he died. Investigators also reported that Lowry had cuts believed to have been caused by a knife, although officials have not publicly provided a complete account of how the confrontation began or who allegedly used the weapon.
The restrained details released by authorities describe allegations rather than established findings. Officials have not announced a motive, identified the 16-year-old or publicly disclosed what charges, if any, that minor may face. The younger teenager was taken to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice after the incident.
Moore was booked into the McCormick County Detention Center after his arrest. Publicly available reports did not establish whether he had entered a plea or retained an attorney who could comment on the accusation. Because Moore is 17, his legal treatment and court proceedings may depend on South Carolina law and decisions made as the case moves forward.
The McCormick County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the state law enforcement agency because of what Sheriff Chad Cox described as a conflict of interest involving people connected to the case. Authorities did not initially explain the nature of that conflict. The state agency assumed responsibility for the criminal investigation.
Later reporting said all three teenagers were connected to the foster-care system and had been staying at the home of McCormick County Council Chairman Bernie Hamby. Lowry had reportedly arrived there as a temporary placement while awaiting another foster home. Hamby had not issued a detailed public statement about the allegations in the reports reviewed.
Those foster-care circumstances have raised questions about supervision and the decisions that placed the teenagers together. Authorities have not announced that Hamby or any other adult faces criminal charges, and investigators have not said that an adult witnessed the confrontation. Details about how long each teenager had been staying at the property have not been fully released.
Lowry’s relatives remembered him publicly as a loving and energetic child who cared deeply for his family and friends. Family members have called for a complete investigation into both his death and the circumstances surrounding his temporary placement. Their statements reflect grief and concern but do not establish what occurred at the dock.
The lake where Lowry was found is commonly known as Strom Thurmond Lake and Clarks Hill Lake. The large reservoir lies along the South Carolina-Georgia border. The incident occurred at a residential dock in Modoc, an unincorporated McCormick County community northwest of Augusta, Georgia.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said its investigation remains active. The agency indicated that additional information could be released as the case continues. Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed all evidence gathered at the dock, including any forensic findings, witness statements or the results of Lowry’s autopsy.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case, according to the state law enforcement agency. No final court date or trial schedule had been publicly confirmed as of Friday, and the legal status of the unidentified 16-year-old remained unclear.
Author note: Last updated July 24, 2026.