Teen charged with murder after sleeping roommate is shot, Richland County deputies say

A teenager was charged with murder Tuesday after his sleeping roommate was shot, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.

In addition to murder, 18-year-old Columbia resident Amadeo Lopez-Castillo was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

Mario Montecinos Ramos, a 25-year-old Columbia resident, was identified as the homicide victim, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.

At about 1 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a shooting at a home in the 8500 block of Old Percival Road, according to the release. That’s in Columbia, near Exit 76 on Interstate 20, and Percival Road.

At the scene, deputies spoke with residents and were told that Ramos, who was also a resident, was asleep when he was shot by another resident of the home, the sheriff’s department said.

Ramos, as well as Lopez-Castillo and three others, were roommates, according to the release.

The other residents heard the gunfire, then restrained Lopez-Castillo and removed the gun from his possession while they waited for the deputies, the sheriff’s department said.

Ramos died at the scene, according to the release.

No other injuries were reported.

There was no word on a motive for the shooting.

Lopez-Castillo was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the sheriff’s department said. No bond has been set and Lopez-Castillo remains behind bars, jail records show.

Following a bond hearing, Lopez-Castillo is scheduled to return to court on June 28, Richland County judicial records show.

This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 10:24 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription