Rock Hill Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Murder in Lancaster Speedway Shooting
LANCASTER, S.C. — A Rock Hill man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of murdering a track employee during a 2022 shooting at Lancaster Motor Speedway.
Conviction and Sentencing
On Friday, September 12, 2025, Bryan Terell Mitchell, 40, was found guilty of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime following a four-day trial.
The jury was given the option of convicting Mitchell on either murder or voluntary manslaughter. They chose murder.
Judge Vernon Dunbar sentenced Mitchell to 30 years for murder and five years for the firearm charge, to be served consecutively.
Shooting at Lancaster Motor Speedway
The case stemmed from a shooting on August 27, 2022, when deputies responded to the track after reports of gunfire.
The victim, Rodney Cunningham, 53, who worked at the speedway, suffered two gunshot wounds and later died at a hospital.
Mitchell was arrested the next morning after a convenience store clerk noticed his suspicious behavior and alerted police. Investigators say he admitted to the shooting during questioning.
Prosecutors and Family Statements
During sentencing, Deputy Solicitor Melissa McGinnis asked for a life sentence, while Solicitor Randy Newman praised law enforcement’s work and the jury’s decision.
“We refused to reduce the charge to manslaughter because we felt we could prove murder and the jury agreed,” Newman said. “I pray that the Cunningham family finds some closure as this case comes to an end.”
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