York County SC woman identified as murder victim; 14-year-old charged with murder
A South Carolina woman from York with ties to her church and the legal profession has been identified as the victim fatally shot in her home Tuesday and a 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder.
Alethea Puckett Totherow, 56, was found dead in her home on Sutton Springs Road west of the city of York, York County Coroner Sabrina Gast said. Totherow had been shot several times, Gast said.
After a SWAT standoff, York County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 14-year-old boy on a charge of murder in connection with Totherow’s death, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and York County prosecutors said.
The relationship between Totherow and the 14-year-old has not been released by officials.
Sheriff officials said they were called Tuesday afternoon about a gunshot victim in the home.
Victim called “Nice, wonderful person”
Totherow was a well-known person in religious and legal circles, said Leah Moody, a longtime Rock Hill lawyer. Totherow, known as “Lisa,” worked for Moody years ago as a paralegal and did other work in the law profession, Moody said.
Moody, a University of South Carolina trustee board member, said she is shocked by Totherow’s death.
“Lisa was a very nice, wonderful person,” Moody said Wednesday. “She worked in the court system, she worked for her church, and was always helping people.”
Totherow’s Linkedin profile showed that she worked as secretary at York Church of God.
The church posted on Facebook about Totherow.
“Our hearts are broken for the Totherow family,” the post stated. “We love Mrs Lisa and will continue to pray for her family.”
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This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 2:12 PM.
