Charleston County, South Carolina – A Charleston County judge sentenced a man to 40 years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend and attempted to murder a North Charleston police officer in 2021.
David Beaufort was sentenced by Judge Deadra Jefferson after being found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon while committing a violent crime.
Trial testimony revealed that the victim and Beaufort had filmed a video that ended on December 16, 2021, and that at 2:26 a.m., the victim called 911 to report Beaufort overdose.
The call concluded at 2:29 a.m., when Beaufort instructed the victim to call his mother. First responders arrived at the scene at 2:35 a.m.
Officer Jamie Sylvester’s body-worn camera footage showed the team had just entered a side door at the location when they heard the victim screaming wildly in fear, according to the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Body camera footage proved that Beaufort shot Officer Sylvester four times before shooting and murdering the victim, who was his girlfriend at the time. Beaufort allegedly acknowledged to drinking Everclear and using cocaine-laced marijuana, according to the solicitor’s office.
“Last week, we had three trials that resulted in convictions, all involving aggression against women. Brave police, such as Jamie Sylvester, are also targeted by these batterers. Fortunately, Officer Sylvester survived, but this madness must end,” Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson added.
Beaufort attempted to plead not guilty due to insanity. Doctors from the Medical University of South Carolina conducted an impartial review on May 27, 2025. Less than a month later, on June 25, examination results revealed that at the time of the crime, Beaufort had the mental capacity to discern between moral and legal right and wrong.
Beaufort’s trial began on November 3.
