Death of Lexington doctor's wife being treated as suspicious, police say

The cases of a fatal October shooting of a Columbia salesman and this week's death of a Lexington County doctor's wife are related, police said Friday.

After police were called to investigate the death of Dr. Adam Lazzarini's wife Tuesday afternoon, investigators found evidence connecting the two cases and decided to charge the doctor with the October shooting, Cayce Director of Public Safety Byron Snellgrove said Friday.

Lazzarini was charged Thursday in connection with shooting a salesman in October of last year. Soon after police announced his arrest, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher reported that Lazzarini's wife, Vanessa Brooke Biery, was found dead Tuesday in her home — the same place where the salesman died last year.

Investigators are awaiting an autopsy report on Lazzarini’s wife, but Snellgrove said her death is considered suspicious. Autopsy results, which will come from the Medical University of South Carolina, could come as early as Friday.

Lazzarini turned himself in to the Lexington County Detention Center Thursday morning, where he was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and obstructing justice.

He has not been charged in the death of his wife. The S.C. Law Enforcement Division and the Cayce Department of Public Safety are investigating her death.

Lazzarini's bond was set at $250,000 Friday morning. Upon release, he will have to surrender his passport, and investigators will give him a GPS monitoring device.

Lazzarini is an employee of Lexington Medical Center, specializing in orthopedic surgery at Southeastern Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine in West Columbia. According to his bio, Lazzarini "is an expert in hip arthroscopy, including management of labral tears, tendon injuries and impingement."

This story was originally published May 4, 2018 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Death of Lexington doctor's wife being treated as suspicious, police say."