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Death at Lancaster Home Exposed Alleged Years-Long Captivity of 4 Adults, Police Say

Authorities await a pathologist's report to determine potential additional charges.

Overview

  • Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr., 35, was arrested Aug. 1 in Lancaster, S.C., after police began probing a July unattended death at his residence.
  • Warrants allege he kept a vulnerable married couple and two women in his basement for years, with the wife later found dead.
  • Records say he controlled when victims could eat or use the bathroom, restricted phone access, and allegedly strangled and threatened one woman.
  • He faces more than a dozen counts, including false imprisonment, abuse and exploitation of vulnerable adults, domestic violence, and financial offenses.
  • Investigators allege he used at least $11,800 from the couple’s bank account and about $2,000 in card purchases for personal expenses; he remains in custody as the investigation continues.