What happened to Kenneth Davis McClendon? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on CBS

Season 38, episode 20 of 48 Hours on CBS will investigate the 2023 murder of Kenneth Davis McClendon. A 2019 Ford F250 hit Kenneth. Responders found him near the intersection of Avid Road and Sawgrass Place in Greenwood at 01:34 AM.

The aforementioned episode of 48 Hours focusing on this hit-and-run homicide is titled The Hit-and-Run Homicide of Davis McClendon and will air on CBS on March 1, 2025, at 10 pm ET. Its synopsis reads as:

“A romance is cut short when a man is found dead near his mangled car. His newfound love is convinced it was no accident”.

In May 2023, Kenneth Davis McClendon succumbed to major injuries. He was taken to Self Regional Medical Center but did not survive. He died at 2:10 AM. To know more about Kenneth McClendon’s case, follow along.

---

What happened to Kenneth Davis McClendon?

As reported by The State (published May 8, 2023), Kenneth Davis McClendon was discovered by responders out of his car at 1:30 am on May 7, 2023, after authorities responded to a crash report near the crossroads of Avid Road and Sawgrass Place in Greenwood.

Before his death, he had been in a fight with his girlfriend’s ex-husband, William Gray Ackerman Jr., who allegedly hit his car.

During the investigation, authorities learned that William’s now ex-wife began dating McClendon six months after their relationship ended. Ackerman tried to call his now ex-wife thirty times the night before between 7:30 pm and the next morning at 1 am. Ackerman even went to the extent of showing up at several places where the couple had gone.

Before Kenneth Davis McClendon’s death, Ackerman and McClendon spoke on the phone and planned to meet at a residential neighbourhood crossroad to sort out their situation regarding Ackerman’s soon-to-be ex-wife. McClendon arrived before Ackerman. He was hit by a vehicle driven by Ackerman, which was allegedly at a speed of 20 to 30 mph.

According to The State, Kenneth Davis McClendon was found near a large oil spill. When authorities reached Ackerman’s house to question him, they discovered oil leaking from his Ford. They also found the sound of impact picked up from a doorbell camera near the scene.

Ackerman was charged with the murder of Kenneth Davis McClendon but pleaded not guilty. In September 2023, Ackerman requested a bond before Judge Donald Hocker, but it was denied, though it will be taken into consideration after a thorough examination of the crime. His first trial ended in a mistrial on July 23, 2024.

---

Ackerman was found guilty after the second trial

In the second trial, after being presented with enough evidence and testimonies, a jury of 12 concluded that William Ackerman was guilty of the murder of McClendon after a 22-minute discussion in Greenwood County.

On October 5, 2024, William Ackerman was sentenced to 45 years in prison and was given 543 days credit for the time he had been incarcerated since his arrest.

According to Index Journal, McClendon’s family was allowed to make statements to the court after the verdict. Kenneth’s younger sister, Elizabeth McClendon, said Ackerman "knocked her to her knees, literally" as Kenneth’s murder had a huge impact on her kids, as she had taught Ackerman’s children, who were friends to Elizabeth’s kids.

Elizabeth told the court that she thought Ackerman would be "broken, with his head in his hands"; instead, he was "stone-faced." After his conviction in October 2024, he was waiting to be transferred to Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina.

---

To learn more about this case, watch the upcoming 48 Hours episode on CBS.