A “sick” man allegedly saved 4 individuals captive within the basement of his South Carolina residence, abused them and stole their cash — solely getting came upon when considered one of them died from the abuse, in accordance with police.
Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr., 35, is accused of retaining the foursome — a weak married couple and two ladies he was in a relationship with — in his residence in Lancaster, in accordance with a warrant obtained by the Courier Submit.
There, he allegedly beat them whereas reducing them off from the surface world, even controlling after they ate and used the lavatory, the warrant stated.
Cops first investigated after one of many captives — the married lady — died on July 25.
Investigators stated the lady had been lifeless for a day — and had been bodily abused and denied sustenance and medical therapy, the report stated.
They then discovered the lifeless lady’s husband in addition to the 2 different ladies being held, the report stated, with out figuring out the 4 individuals held.
Birchfield was arrested Aug. 1 and charged with abuse of a weak grownup, 4 counts of false imprisonment and home violence. He was later hit with fraud and exploitation expenses for allegedly utilizing his prisoners’ cash.
Authorities are awaiting a pathologist’s report earlier than pursuing extra expenses, WSOC-TV reported.
“That’s a sick particular person proper there,” neighbor Darryl Evans instructed the outlet. “He’s a sick particular person to do one thing like that.”
The lifeless lady and her husband have been weak adults and Birchfield was their caregiver, though it’s not clear how he knew them. The opposite two ladies have been allegedly in romantic relationships with Birchfield, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
One lady had lived with him since September 2024, whereas the opposite had been within the residence since 2015. It’s not clear how lengthy the weak couple had been residing there.
The victims, none of whom have been recognized by police, solely left the basement when Birchfield allowed, in accordance with arrest warrants.
Together with bodily abuse, Birchfield is accused of stealing hundreds of {dollars} from them, spending not less than $2,000 at Walmart with the couple’s bank card since 2021.
In simply the previous eight months, he additionally spent practically $12,000 from the couple’s checking account to repay his bank cards.
Considered one of Birchfield’s girlfriends claimed that he had threatened to kill her and harm her household, in accordance with charging paperwork. He additionally chillingly instructed her he knew how one can eliminate a physique from previous experiences.
Birchfield is locked up on the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Workplace underneath a $150,000 bond.
