Mark A. Scheibler, age 50, has been sentenced to Life in prison following his conviction in Lexington County for Murder and Possession of a Weapon during commission of a Violent Crime. Judge Walton J. McLeod, IV imposed the sentence following a trial last week in Lexington County General Sessions Court.

The case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes and Assistant Solicitor Kelly Oppenheimer. The case was investigated by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Evidence presented at trial established that Scheibler went to the residence of Jimmy Ferney Johnson, Jr., known to friends as “J.J.” in the early morning hours of November 27, 2021 around 7:15 am. Johnson resided at a home on Mac Circle. Testimony detailed that Scheibler was angry at Johnson over a previous dispute and told witnesses that he planned to kill Johnson.

Once Scheibler arrived at Johnson’s residence, he slashed the tires of his vehicle and waited for him to come outside. Evidence presented at trial established that once Johnson exited a nearby home, Scheibler opened fire and shot Johnson at least 5 times.

Crime Scene Investigators (C.S.I.) recovered seven (7) fired cartridge cases from the scene. Johnson was unarmed. The forensic pathologist testified at trial that Johnson’s gunshot wounds included a shot to the back. Scheibler fled the scene following the murder and evidence established that he abandoned the vehicle he was driving in an area near Fairview Crossroads. Scheibler was later apprehended in Richland County on December 2, 2021 after a standoff with law enforcement at a residence located at 132 Thrush Street.

At the time of Scheibler’s apprehension, he was also charged with the November 19th, 2021 shooting of a girlfriend in Richland County in which she sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Scheibler pled guilty to that shooting in 2024. Scheibler has a substantial criminal history, including convictions for Lynching 2nd degree; Pointing and Presenting a Firearm; Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature; and Grand Larceny of a Vehicle, all for which he served a lengthy prison sentence of twenty years.

He was released from prison in 2012. Following his release, Scheibler had additional convictions for property theft and narcotics possession. Scheibler will be transported to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin immediate service of the sentence.