UPDATE: Shooter is captured after two women are killed, Richland County Sheriff says
Two women are dead and a man is charged with murder, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday.
The women died after a Monday night shooting at a home in the Hopkins area, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.
After a manhunt, Dontrell Henry Rufus, 28, was captured Tuesday morning, according to the sheriff’s department.
At about 8:40 p.m., deputies responded to a shots fired call at a home in the 2500 block of S. Partridge Circle, according to the release. That’s near the intersection of Starling Goodson Road and Lower Richland Boulevard.
Deputies found two women who were shot in the upper body, and they were taken to an area hospital where they died, the sheriff’s department said.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts identified the victims as 76-year-old Sarah Mae Richbow and 28-year-old Kiara A. Richbow. Both died early Tuesday morning, Watts said in a statement.
Information on a motive for the shooting was not available.
Investigators said Rufus was wanted on two murder charges.
After asking for the community’s help finding the armed and dangerous man, deputies responded to reports of a suspicious person in the 4000 block of Broad River Road at about 11:30 a.m., according to the release. That’s less than two miles from the intersection of Broad River and St. Andrews roads.
In the past, Rufus had been seen in that area, according to the release.
Rufus was located and arrested without incident, the sheriff’s department said. He’ll be taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Rufus pleaded guilty to a marijuana possession charge in 2013, Richland County court records show.
The shooting remains under investigation by the sheriff’s department.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 10:31 AM.
