Man, 35, Allegedly Kept 4 'Vulnerable Adults' Locked in His SC Basement for 10 Years While Spending Their Money By Latoya Gayle

A 35-year-old man is facing multiple charges after being accused of keeping four adults captive in the basement of his South Carolina home, having only raised suspicions when one of his victims died.

On Aug. 1, Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. was arrested and charged with a lengthy list of crimes, including four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, financial fraud, false imprisonment, and domestic violence, per the Lancaster County Detention Center. 

Suspicions over Birchfield Jr.’s behavior began when police learned of an unreported death at his Lancaster home in July, WSOC-TV 9 and Local 12 reported. It has been determined that he had been the sole caregiver to the deceased woman and her husband, but authorities remain unsure how he knew the couple.

Investigators looking into the woman’s death noted evidence of physical abuse and a lack of adequate medical treatment.

Authorities soon discovered other people who they believed were being held against their will at Birchfield Jr.’s home as he controlled their eating, bathroom habits, and communication, according to warrants obtained by WSOC-TV. 

The deceased woman and her husband were above the age of 18, but, as vulnerable adults, they were unable to take care of themselves, according to Local 12. Two other captives were women who had allegedly been romantically involved with Birchfield Jr., the outlet reported. 

Related Stories

Couple Charged After Their 6 Children Were Allegedly Locked in a ‘Putrid’ Storage Unit with a Urine Bucket

Landlord Noticed a Strange Odor in a Woman’s Home After Evicting Her. Then, Police Found 4 Dead Babies in Bags

One of the women is believed to have been at the house since Sept. 2024 and the other since 2015.

Birchfield Jr. allegedly made his girlfriend fear for her life by stating that he knew how to dispose of a body from previous experience, according to warrants obtained by WSOC-TV. He is accused of also routinely strangling her during assaults.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.    

Police allege that he would use his victims’ money to shop at Walmart and pay his debts. This year alone, he allegedly spent $11,800 from the vulnerable couple’s bank account to pay off credit card loans, per Local 12.

“That’s a sick individual right there. He’s a sick person to do something like that,” neighbor Darryl Evans told WSOC-TV 9.

According to the news outlet, authorities are awaiting a pathologist’s report before pursuing more charges.

Birchfield is being detained without bail at the Lancaster County Detention Center. 

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Lancaster Police Department and the Lancaster County Detention Center did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sept. 22.