Six Charged in Lancaster County Murder
Authorities in Lancaster County, South Carolina, have apprehended and charged six individuals in connection to the death of Larisha Sharrell Thompson, a 40-year-old woman who was fatally shot on May 2. The suspects, identified as illegal immigrants, range in age from 13 to 21. The incident occurred while Thompson was driving to meet friends in Rock Hill, a neighboring city.
Deputies from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office discovered Thompson deceased in her vehicle on Riverside Road in Lancaster, approximately an hour south of Charlotte, North Carolina. She had suffered a gunshot wound.
On May 12, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of three adults, Asael Aminadas Torres-Chirinos, 21; Jarby Ardon Ramos-Odari, 18; Jeyson Sobied Pineda-Salgado, 17; and three juveniles, ages 13, 14 and 15 in connection with Thompson’s murder, as well as an unrelated burglary that occurred on April 30.
Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile expressed his dismay at the senseless act of violence. "This shooting defies any sense of decency in a civilized society," Sheriff Faile said. "Ms. Thompson was going about her business on a Friday night, not bothering anyone. All of a sudden, these six men and boys – out to get something for nothing from someone they did not know and had no business bothering – pulled alongside her car, and Torres-Chirinos opened fire, killing Ms. Thompson. There’s no place in our society for acts like this or the people who commit them, and my hope is these six are never again among us."
The Department of Homeland Security has placed detainers on all six individuals. This measure ensures that if any of the suspects become eligible for release before their cases are resolved in court, Homeland Security will take custody of them, preventing their release back into the community.
According to Sheriff Faile, the suspects pulled up alongside Thompson and fatally shot her in what authorities describe as a random robbery attempt. The investigation indicates that all six suspects were in the same vehicle, with Torres-Chirinos driving and allegedly firing the fatal shot. The suspects are accused of attempting to enter Thompson’s vehicle before fleeing when they realized it was locked.
Prior to the murder, on April 30, deputies responded to a burglary at the Van Wyck Mart on Rock Hill Highway. The store owner reported that surveillance footage captured several young men attempting to enter the store around 10:30 p.m. on April 29. Unable to gain entry, the suspects allegedly forced open a door on the northwest corner of the building, leading to a bathroom with access to the store’s interior. The suspects are also accused of firing a handgun at a security camera and the bathroom door. Detectives collected ballistics evidence from the scene.
The Van Wyck Mart and the location of Thompson’s murder are a seven-minute drive apart. Detectives determined that the ballistic evidence recovered from the scene of the murder matched the 9 mm handgun used in the burglary days earlier.
Through digital surveillance, investigators identified Torres-Chirinos as a suspect in both crimes. He was questioned at the sheriff’s office on May 8, leading to the identification, location, and detention of the five additional suspects.
The three adult suspects face charges of murder, attempted armed robbery, and second-degree burglary. Torres-Chirinos is believed to have fired the handgun in both incidents and is additionally charged with two counts of firearms possession during the commission of a crime and one count of firearms possession by an unlawful alien. A judge denied bond for all three adult men.
The three juvenile suspects are also charged with murder, attempted armed robbery, and second-degree burglary.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office has stated that all six suspects are subject to removal from the United States under federal immigration law.
Sheriff Faile emphasized that the community is safer with these six individuals off the streets. "That doesn’t mean the federal government will scoop them up and send them out of the country before their cases are heard in court. It simply means if for any reason, any one or more of them becomes eligible for release before their charges are resolved in court, Homeland Security will take custody of them, and they will not be back out on the street. Our intention is that all six remain detained until they face the full weight of our judicial system."
Sheriff Faile expressed his condolences to the Thompson family. "Thompson’s family is grieving and trying to get their heads around how something like this could happen."
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the case to contact the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. The arrest of the six suspects brings a measure of relief to the community, but the senseless loss of Larisha Sharrell Thompson continues to be felt deeply. The legal proceedings will determine the ultimate fate of the accused, while the community seeks to heal from this tragic event.
