Police: Drugs may be motive in Aiken murder

More details have been released about the murder of an Aiken man found lying on the side of the road Wednesday after what appears to be a drug-related shooing and armed robbery.

A passing motorist reportedly found Donald Hickman Jr., 24, lying on the side of Green Road with multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the Medical College of Georgia where he was later pronounced dead.

Within hours of the death, deputies had arrested three men, connecting them with the murder.

Derrick Valentine, 26, of Biscayne Road in Aiken, is charged with murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to possess marijuana.

Kristopher Allard Reichardt, 25, of Middleton Drive in Aiken, is charged with murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to possess marijuana.

Michael Gary Smith Jr., 22, of Green Acres Park Lane in Langley, is charged with murder and conspiracy to possess marijuana.

Smith was hospitalized following the murder and released Monday to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

He was jailed at the Aiken County detention center.

Thus far, investigators have released only a few details about the murder and have avoided commenting on the motive; however, the warrants released by the agency Monday paint a picture of the crime scene.

According to the affidavits, Reichardt and Valentine were armed when they tried to rob the victim.

Investigators went on to say that all three murder suspects had conspired to walk away with more than a pound of marijuana after the Wednesday meeting with the victim.

It was about 5:30 p.m., however, that Hickman was gunned down and left for dead. Investigators have not said if he was armed and returned fire at the accused murderers; however, deputies have confirmed that Smith was hospitalized after the shooting.

It is still not clear if investigators are linking anyone else to the murder.

A passing motorist discovered Hickman shortly before 6 p.m. and reportedly called the sheriff's office.

Contact Karen Daily at kdaily@aikenstandard.com.