6 undocumented immigrants face murder charges in Lancaster SC woman’s killing, sheriff says
Six undocumented immigrants from Honduras are charged with murder in the shooting death of a South Carolina woman May 2 in a random attack as she drove down a rural road, Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile said Monday.
Larisha Sharell Thompson was gunned down in her car on Riverside Road between Lancaster and Rock Hill at night in a random robbery attempt, Faile said at a news conference at the sheriff’s office.
The suspects range in age from 13 to 21.
“We have six individuals who weren’t supposed to be here,” Faile said of the suspects’ immigration status. “They took the life of an innocent lady.”
The same group of people burglarized a nearby Van Wyck Mart store days earlier on April 30, according to Faile.
Lancaster deputies have alerted federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement about the six suspects, who are believed to be in the country illegally, said Faile and 6th Circuit Solicitor Randy Newman at the news conference.
An ICE hold is in place on all six. All six face deportation under federal law, Faile said.
Newman, Lancaster County’s top prosecutor, said he hopes to take all six to trial on charges of murder, attempted armed robbery and burglary before immigration officials take custody of them.
Faile said the motive in both crimes was money. The group “was out here trying to get something for nothing” during the crimes, Faile said.
All six defendants are entitled to have a lawyer appointed to each of them, according to federal and South Carolina laws. However, it is unclear who has been appointed for each suspect, according to officials and court records.
The Lancaster County Public Defender office has been advised of the arrests and will likely represent one of them, said William Frick, 6th Circuit Public Defender. The other five will likely be appointed attorneys from private practice who handle cases where there are multiple defendants, Frick said.
As for the accusations in the case, Frick said his office is investigating but declined comment.
The six accused
Each of the six people arrested face charges of murder, attempted armed robbery and burglary.
Asael Aminadas Torres-Chirinos, 21, of Lancaster, is believed to be the shooter who killed Thompson, Faile said. A gun that matches ballistic evidence from both the killing and the burglary days earlier was found at his home Thursday during a search, according to deputies.
He also faces weapons charges that include possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien.
Asked by The Herald if Torres-Chirinos could potentially face the death penalty, Newman said his office is looking at the case to see if it fits required factors that must be present for a case to be eligible for capital punishment.
Jarby Ardon Ramos-Odari, 18, and Jeyson Sobied Pineda-Salgado, 17, are the two other people charged as adults, officials said.
The three juveniles charged are ages 15, 14, and 13, according to Faile and court records. Their names were not released because of their ages.
In response to a question from The Herald, Faile said it remains under investigation if any of the suspects have gang ties.
The crimes
Thompson, of Lancaster, was found dead in her car that was stopped in the road.
Faile said she was on her way to meet friends in Rock Hill when the group of six in a Honda Civic accosted her and opened fire as she drove. The group tried to get into her car but the doors were locked, according to Faile.
The suspects then fled the scene.
Thompson’s family was not at the news conference Monday. Her sister said she was angry and sad at the attack that left Thompson’s two children without a mother, according to the Herald’s news partner, WSOC-TV.
Deputies used surveillance video and other digital evidence to identify the suspects, but did not say what specifically led to the six people.
What happens next?
All six suspects are jailed without bail. The three adults are in adult jail in Lancaster, while the three juveniles are in custody of the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice.
The juveniles are expected to appear in Family Court this week for required detention hearings that are held for children kept in custody.
The adults who are jailed without bail will remain in custody but have the opportunity to ask for a bail hearing later on.
This story was originally published May 12, 2025 at 12:32 PM.
