A South Carolina man is behind bars after police say he held four adults captive in his basement—abuse that only came to light after one victim died.
Authorities arrested 35-year-old Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. on August 1, charging him with exploitation of vulnerable adults, false imprisonment, domestic violence, financial fraud, and more, according to the Lancaster County Detention Center.
Investigators began looking into Birchfield Jr. after learning of an unreported death at his Lancaster home in July. The deceased woman and her husband, both considered vulnerable adults, had allegedly been under his care. Detectives noted evidence of abuse and a lack of medical treatment in the woman’s death.
When police dug deeper, they discovered more victims living in disturbing conditions. Warrants allege Birchfield Jr. controlled the captives’ eating, bathroom use, and communication. Two women, who had reportedly been romantically involved with him, were also among the victims—one living in the home since September 2024, the other since as far back as 2015.
One of the women told authorities Birchfield Jr. made her fear for her life by claiming he knew how to dispose of a body. He is also accused of strangling her repeatedly during assaults.
Investigators say Birchfield Jr. financially exploited the vulnerable couple in his home, allegedly spending nearly $12,000 from their bank account this year alone to pay off his credit card debt and shop at Walmart.
“That’s a sick individual right there. He’s a sick person to do something like that,” neighbor Darryl Evans told WSOC-TV 9.
Birchfield Jr. remains jailed without bail as authorities await a pathologist’s report that could lead to additional charges.
He’s not sick….he’s just one big azz
hole who needs to be behind bars for the rest of his pathetic life.
Demonic.