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.