SC man told deputies he killed his wife, then they found her body, cops say
A South Carolina man was charged with murder after he called law enforcement officers and told them he shot and killed his wife, according to the the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Fred Falls, a 61-year-old Sumter resident, was also charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday in a news release.
At about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Falls called Sumter County dispatch and said that he’d shot his wife the night before, according to the release.
The first deputy to arrive to the North Saint Paul Church Road home found Falls sitting on the porch and held him at gunpoint until more deputies showed up and then Falls was detained, the sheriff’s office said.
Inside the home, deputies found the victim, according to the release. She was “lying motionless on the floor” after suffering a fatal gunshot wound, the sheriff’s office said.
No other injuries were reported.
Deputies collected evidence, including a spent shell casing as well as two firearms and investigators are trying to determine if one of the guns was the weapon used, according to the release.
Despite the arrest and Falls’ confession, the death continues to be investigated. Deputies said they’re trying to determine a motive for the shooting, which they called an isolated incident and added that Falls does not have a prior criminal record.
Falls was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center where he remains behind bars after his bond was denied, the sheriff’s office said.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 9:02 AM with the headline "SC man told deputies he killed his wife, then they found her body, cops say."
