Man who was wanted for questioning has been charged with murder, SC cops say
A week after a body was discovered in a ditch, a South Carolina man who was wanted for questioning was found and then charged with murder, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
Ricardo L. McFadden, a 42-year-old Summerton resident nicknamed “Trick,” also was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime connected to the shooting death of John Edward Rhames III, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
On April 13, deputies responded to reports of a unresponsive man, later identified as Rhames, lying in a ditch in the area near Washington Street, the sheriff’s office said. That’s in the Summerton area of Clarendon County, near the intersection of U.S. 15 and U.S. 301.
Rhames, a 32-year-old Summerton resident, was found with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to the sheriff’s office.
No other injuries were reported.
On April 17, the sheriff’s office said it wanted to find McFadden for questioning about the shooting.
Information about what led the sheriff’s office to go from questioning McFadden to making an arrest was not available.
Despite McFadden’s arrest, the sheriff’s office said the investigation into Rhames’ death is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 803-435-4414 or 803-433-8477. Tips can also be made by contacting CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submitted online.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 10:23 AM.
