On Sept. 21, it was reported that two South Carolina residents were taken into custody after they were accused of arson and murder. The two individuals were identified as a 22-year-old Hartsville man and a 17-year-old Hartsville teen.
In early September, the body of a man was found in a mobile home located on Persimmons Drive after the residence had been on fire. Officials accused the two men of shooting the man, putting his body in the mobile home and setting the residence on fire to cover the alleged murder. The 22-year-old man was taken into custody on Sept. 16 after he was found in Columbia. Authorities reportedly found in possession of illegal drugs. The teen was taken into custody on Sept. 19.
Both individuals were charged with two counts of arson and murder. The 22-year-old man was additionally charged with distribution of methamphetamine. He was being held at a nearby detention center on $5,000. He was scheduled to be brought to Darlington County for his arraignment on the charges once he was released. The teen was being held at W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center without bond.
Those who are accused of committing violent crimes such as murder could face decades or even life in prison depending on the factors surrounding the case. In South Carolina, those who are 17 or older will be tried as adults. A criminal defense attorney may launch a separate investigation into the prosecution’s allegations to find potential holes or violations made by the authorities when the accused person was taken into custody. The attorney may mount a strong defense depending on what the circumstances of the case are. Potential defenses could include that the accused person was misidentified or the killing occurred in self-defense.
Source: WMBF News, “Hartsville man, teen accused of shooting man, setting fire to mobile home to cover up murder“, Ian Cross, Sept. 21, 2017
