Chilling end for the South Carolina killer who taunted police with “Catch me if you can” written in his victim’s blood — execution date finally set after two decades on death row
More than twenty years after one of South Carolina’s most haunting murder cases, the state is preparing to carry out the long-awaited execution of Stephen Bryant — a man whose crime scene message, “Catch me if u can,” became a symbol of chilling arrogance and brutality. Bryant, now in his forties, was convicted of the 2003 killing of 27-year-old Michael Grant, an act prosecutors described as both “sadistic and remorseless.” According to court records, Bryant not only killed Grant but burned his eyes with cigarettes before using the victim’s blood to write those taunting words on a wall — daring investigators to find him.
For weeks after the murder, police chased dead ends until DNA evidence and witness accounts led them to Bryant, who had fled across state lines. When arrested, he reportedly smirked and told detectives, “Guess you finally did.” It was a line that stunned even veteran officers, many of whom still remember the case as one of the darkest in South Carolina’s modern history.
Bryant’s trial drew national attention, not just for the gruesome details, but for his disturbing lack of remorse. Witnesses testified that he laughed during parts of the proceedings, and prosecutors played audio tapes of Bryant describing the killing as “a game gone wrong.” The jury deliberated for only three hours before delivering a unanimous death sentence, saying the evidence left them “haunted.”
Over the past two decades, Bryant has filed multiple appeals, arguing that his defense was ineffective and that his mental health issues were not fully considered. However, courts have consistently upheld the sentence, with judges reaffirming that his crime met every legal standard for the death penalty. Earlier this month, the South Carolina Department of Corrections confirmed that Bryant’s execution is now scheduled for November — marking the state’s first death sentence to be carried out since new lethal injection drugs were approved in 2024.
The victim’s family, who endured decades of court battles and media attention, released a brief statement through their attorney. “It’s been over twenty years since we lost Michael,” the family said. “Nothing can bring him back, but justice delayed is finally justice served.”
Public reaction to the news has been divided, as expected in a state where capital punishment remains a deeply debated issue. While many believe Bryant’s execution represents long-overdue closure, others question whether the death penalty is the right answer — even for crimes as horrific as this one. Legal analysts note that South Carolina, like several other southern states, reinstated executions amid renewed calls for stricter law enforcement following a surge in violent crime across the region.
For the officers who worked the case, this moment has been a long time coming. Retired detective James Halpern, who helped apprehend Bryant, said, “He thought he could get away with it. He thought he was smarter than everyone else. But justice caught up — it always does.”
After years of delays, appeals, and endless controversy, Stephen Bryant’s story — from his horrific act to his defiant message — will finally come to an end next month. The phrase he scrawled so arrogantly in blood, once seen as a taunt to the world, now reads like a grim prophecy fulfilled. The state caught him. And now, after two long decades, it’s ready to deliver the justice he mocked.
