Murder trial begins for Rick Chow in 14-year-old's 2023 shooting death
The murder trial for former Columbia convenience store owner Rick Chow is set to begin Tuesday in Richland County.Chow is charged in the May 28, 2023, shooting
wach.comHere’s the latest I can provide based on recent reporting.
-
Rick Chow has been in the news again as his murder trial related to the 2023 shooting death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton began or progressed in May 2026 in South Carolina. The coverage notes that prosecutors allege Chow shot Carmack-Belton after chasing him outside a gas station, with the defense contending self-defense or other factors. This development has been reported by local outlets and national affiliates, signaling ongoing courtroom proceedings as of May 2026. [source coverage from May 25–27, 2026, including WACH FOX and WIS/WRAL-related clips][5][6][7]
-
Earlier in 2023 and into 2025, multiple outlets documented Chow’s arrest on a murder charge and related court motions, including emergency hearings over searches and bond decisions, in the wake of the May 2023 incident in Columbia, SC. Those reports establish the timeline leading to the 2026 trial.[2][4][5]
-
Public social/media updates from the period also framed the case around the claim that the teenager was wrongly accused of shoplifting water, and that Chow fired a gun as the teen fled, with subsequent attention on whether self-defense defenses under South Carolina law applied.[3][6][5]
Would you like me to pull a concise, date-stamped update from a specific outlet for the latest courtroom developments, and/or summarize the key witnesses and claims from the May 2026 proceedings? I can also set up a brief timeline of events with source citations if that would help.