JOHNS ISLAND, SC – A night on South Carolina’s largest island took a tragic turn when authorities say a woman struck a man with her SUV, killing him, then circled back to the scene before her arrest.
Phoebe Grace Armstrong, 28, is facing a murder charge after an incident that unfolded late on Nov. 30, according to court documents. The victim, whose identity has not yet been released by officials, was discovered unresponsive early the following morning on North Edenvale Road, bringing a heavy silence to the residential stretch of Johns Island.
When deputies responded to 911 calls, they found the victim’s body bearing distinct tire marks, a detail outlined in the arrest affidavit. Officers noted that while they were processing the scene, Armstrong herself returned, driving slowly past in a white BMW X3. The vehicle reportedly bore dried bloodstains, observations that immediately drew suspicion.
Armstrong was pulled over and agreed to speak with investigators. She told detectives that she had spent time with the victim the prior evening, dropping him off at another residence before driving home. However, detectives soon uncovered evidence that contradicted her account.
Detectives executed search warrants for her vehicle and cellphone, retrieving GPS data that revealed Armstrong’s movements the night of the killing. Tracking information placed her in the vicinity where the victim’s body was found between 8 p.m. and 8:33 p.m. Video evidence from Armstrong’s own cellphone captured her sitting in the driver’s seat as the victim walked away from her SUV.
According to investigators, Armstrong and the victim had a contentious history, with previous incidents of domestic disputes documented between the two. The night of the man’s death, authorities believe, escalated into violence.
Further surveillance footage showed Armstrong at a nearby convenience store following the incident, where she was seen inspecting her car’s exterior and using her cellphone’s flashlight. Forensic testing later confirmed the substance found on her SUV was human blood, matching the victim.
The autopsy, conducted at the state medical university, determined blunt force trauma to the chest consistent with being struck and run over by a vehicle as the cause of death.
Armstrong is currently held without bond at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. She is expected to appear in court early next year to answer to the murder charge as investigators continue to piece together the night’s events.