SPARTANBURG COUNTY MAN SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATAL HAMMER ATTACK

A Spartanburg County man received a 50-year prison sentence this afternoon for beating a man to death during an armed hold-up.

Joshua Ray Greer, 26, was found guilty of murder and armed robbery at the conclusion of a four- day jury trial. Greer used a hammer to strike Paul Reagan, 54, twice in the head during a robbery at the victim’s Drayton Road home. The crime occurred Aug. 19, 2002 and Reagan died 11 days later due to his head injuries.

Greer attacked Reagan to get money to buy crack cocaine. After the attack, Greer threw the hammer into a pile of wood behind Reagan’s home. The hammer had traces of Reagan’s blood on it when sheriff’s deputies recovered it. Reagan’s empty wallet was found inside the house.

Greer, a known acquaintance of the victim, was arrested in the hours following the discovery of the body on charges of assault and battery with intent to kill and armed robbery. The assault charge was upgraded to murder when Greer died.

Deputy Solicitor Donnie Willingham and Assistant Solicitor Melissa Millican credited Solicitor’s Investigator Todd Wilson and Administrative Assistant Sharon “Cookie,” Peeler for their efforts to transport a witness from a Colorado state prison to the Spartanburg County Courthouse on less than 24 hours notice.

“Todd and Cookie saved the day,” Willingham said. “Their diligent work enabled us to respond to a courtroom challenge and pin the responsibility on Mr. Greer.”

“This was a senseless crime,” Willingham added. “Nobody deserves Paul Reagan’s fate.”

Circuit Judge Wyatt Saunders’ sentence requires Greer to serve every day of a 30-year murder sentence before he begins serving his 20-year armed robbery sentence.