SC firefighters found 2 people. One was dead. Now the other is charged with murder
A week after firefighters found two people in an apartment, one of them dead, the other has been charged with murder, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
Kenardo Bates, 31, was also charged with kidnapping and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriff’s department said Saturday night in a news release.
The woman, who died at the scene of the shooting, was Bates’ previous romantic partner, according to the release. She has not been publicly identified by the Richland County Coroner’s Office.
Bates and the woman were found Aug. 23 by members of the Columbia Fire Department who were responding to a call about a water leak alarm at an apartment in the 1300 block of North Brickyard Road, the sheriff’s department said. That’s in Columbia, near the intersection with Farrow Road and not far from Interstate 77.
When firefighters entered the apartment they found a man, later identified as Bates, and woman who had both been shot, according to the release.
Deputies recovered a gun from Bates before he was taken to an area hospital, where his “serious injuries” were treated, the sheriff’s department said.
When Bates was released from the hospital, he was taken into custody and booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to the release.
Since being locked up Friday, no bond has been set for Bates, who remains behind bars, jail records show.
The sheriff’s department said the shooting appears to be the result of domestic violence as Bates and the victim had a romantic relationship. Further information about a motive was not available, and there was no word about how Bates suffered his injuries.
“If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please let us help you,” Sheriff Leon Lott said in the release. “We have a team of compassionate victims assistance advocates to help you.”
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This story was originally published September 3, 2023 at 12:44 PM.
