In a quiet home on James Island in Charleston, South Carolina, a grim discovery was made on January 3, 2022, shattering the peace of the community. Inside the residence, law enforcement officers found 83-year-old Carole Schaefer deceased from a gunshot wound. The scene also held another victim, her 56-year-old son, John Thomas Schaefer, who was found with a serious, self-inflicted gunshot wound.
He is a white male.
Authorities were initially called to the home for what was reported as a medical emergency. However, upon their arrival, the situation was quickly reclassified as a homicide investigation. The preliminary investigation led detectives to believe that John Thomas Schaefer had shot his mother before turning the gun on himself in an attempted suicide. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
Following the discovery, John Thomas Schaefer was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment for his injuries. While he was recovering, he was held in the custody of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. Upon his release from the hospital, he was formally arrested and booked into the Charleston County Detention Center.
John Thomas Schaefer faces charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. The case against him is still pending in the court system, with a plea docket hearing scheduled for December 11, 2025. The community was left to grapple with the shocking nature of the incident, a tragedy that unfolded within the walls of a family home.
