On a Father's Day in 2020, the quiet community of Richburg, South Carolina, was shaken by a grim discovery. Inside a mobile home on Doe Street, 78-year-old Billie Ruth Rogers and her 61-year-old son, Gene Rogers, were found dead, both having been fatally shot. The tragic event, which occurred on June 21, 2020, launched a multi-agency investigation into the double homicide that would eventually lead to a startling arrest.
The investigation into the deaths of the mother and son involved
local and state law enforcement, as well as federal and military authorities. Over a year later, in October 2021, a suspect was identified and apprehended. Gene Alexzander “Alex” Scott, the 24-year-old great-grandson of Billie Ruth Rogers and grandson of Gene Rogers, was arrested in Germany where he was serving in the U.S. Army. Scott was subsequently extradited back to South Carolina to face two counts of murder and one count of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
Prosecutors have alleged that the motive behind the killings was financial greed. They assert that Scott planned the murders to gain access to his inheritance, including a life insurance policy and a retirement account of which he was a beneficiary. It was revealed that Gene Rogers had already given his grandson a significant amount of money earlier in the year. During the trial, which began in May 2024, prosecutors presented body camera footage from the day of the discovery, suggesting Scott's emotional reaction was staged. A responding deputy testified that Scott's behavior seemed like a performance and that he repeatedly asked to leave the scene. The trial is ongoing as the family seeks justice for the loss of Billie Ruth Rogers and her son.
