On the morning of Wednesday, May 7, 2025, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Michael William Dow in connection with the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Robert Dustin Burleson. Dow has been charged with murder and is currently being held at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to reports of gunfire at a residence on East Brewington Road around 8:30 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Burleson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Investigators quickly identified Dow as the primary suspect. He was apprehended without incident later that morning during a traffic stop near the intersection of U.S. Highway 378 and S.C. Highway 441. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the shooting but confirmed that Dow and Burleson were acquainted.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation and urges anyone with additional information to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or via the Sheriff’s Office website.
Dow is expected to appear before a magistrate judge later this week for a bond hearing. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment.