2 arrested in slaying of man found dead near Monetta

SALUDA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man whose body was found last month.

Earl Valentine and Montavis Barnes were arrested in connection with the murder of Zonnie Cyrus.

The body of Cyrus, 22, was found Nov. 19 on Hi-land Farm Road in Saluda County.

The Saluda County Coroner’s Office ruled the cause of death a homicide caused by numerous gunshot wounds.

Valentine has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Barnes is charged with accessory to murder after the fact.

“This is not going to bring back Mr. Cyrus, but I hope this brings some relief to the Cyrus family that those responsible for the death of Zonnie Cyrus will be brought to justice,” Sheriff Joshua Price said.

A hunter discovered Zonnie Cyrus’ body on Hiland Farm Road in Saluda County off Padgett Pond Road and about four miles from the Monetta Drive-In Theatre.

The slaying was among dozens in a surge of deadly crimes that’s claimed more than 60 lives in communities large and small across the region since spring.

‘How can you do that to somebody?’

Brittney Cyrus, Zonnie’s cousin, told us earlier the loss of her cousin was eating her up inside, but she was putting her faith and trust in God, hoping to get some answers.

“How could somebody do that to a human being, a child at that?” Brittney said. “He was only 22 years old. How can you do that to somebody? I mean, nobody in this world is perfect, nobody ain’t in this world that’s bright, and that’s going to have all the answers, but the way I look at it, it is hurting and it’s like I never thought in a million years that I would have to go through this.”

Brittney said Zonnie was a good person, always smiling, and willing to drop anything to help friends and family.

She added that he was very passionate about his job at Amick Farms.

“To me, I can’t say R.I.P. to my cousin yet until we got closure all the way,” Brittney said. “And I’m going take my shades off and I want you all to see what you all did to me, and how me and his brother, his daddy feeling. Like y’all really took somebody that I cared about the most and I stayed on top of him to try to keep him focused. And I was proud of him.”

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