In the quiet town of Lugoff, South Carolina, the morning of December 17, 2020, was shattered by an act of violence that would forever alter the lives of one family. Vidal Bastien, a 36-year-old African American man originally from the Bronx, New York, was found in his home on Fort Jackson Road with multiple gunshot wounds. Responders found him conscious and able to speak, but he succumbed to his injuries after being transported to the hospital.
The incident prompted a temporary lockdown at a nearby elementary school as a precaution.
The investigation quickly focused on a suspect who was not only known to Bastien but lived under the same roof. Quintera Torace Siriwat, the 22-year-old son of Bastien's fiancée, was identified as the shooter. Initially, Siriwat attempted to mislead investigators, claiming he and his mother were outside when they heard shots and that an unknown man fled the scene. However, the narrative began to unravel as the evidence pointed inward. A pivotal moment came when Bastien, despite his grave condition, identified Siriwat as the person who shot him.
Confronted with the victim's dying declaration, and his own suspicious behavior of changing clothes and attempting to hide a bag containing the firearm, Siriwat’s story crumbled. He eventually confessed to the shooting, telling investigators that an argument with Bastien had escalated, leading him to feel threatened and open fire. A pathologist later confirmed that Bastien had been shot six times. In August 2025, a Kershaw County jury found Quinterra Siriwat guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In a further development, it was revealed that Siriwat’s mother was also charged as an accessory in connection with the fatal shooting.
