In the quiet community of Lexington, South Carolina, the life of 51-year-old Tammy Ricard was tragically cut short on May 28, 2019, in a violent act that also claimed the life of her employer, 43-year-old Christopher McCutchan. The incident, which stunned the local community, unfolded as a result of a family dispute that escalated to a double murder-suicide.
Ricard, a dedicated secretary and bookkeeper for multiple construction companies, was working at Master's Men Remodeling and Construction on Railroad Avenue when the horrific events transpired. She was a lifelong resident of Lexington, a graduate of Airport High school, and a beloved mother to her two grown sons. Having lost her husband to cancer five years prior, she was known by friends and her church community as a kind and generous person who was actively involved in her church as a treasurer and youth ministry helper.
The perpetrator was identified as Heath McCutchan, the brother of Christopher McCutchan. According to reports from the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, Heath had recently stopped working for his brother's business and was reportedly very angry. On that Tuesday afternoon, Heath entered the business premises with a handgun and opened fire on his brother and Tammy Ricard. Responding to a welfare check later that evening, deputies discovered a grim scene inside the office. Ricard was found slumped over in a chair, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while Christopher McCutchan was found on the floor.
Following the discovery at the business, law enforcement began a search for Heath McCutchan. The search concluded later that same evening when his body was recovered from the waters of Lake Murray. Authorities reported that Heath had taken his own life on a dock off Mooring Lane. The investigation concluded that Heath McCutchan was the sole person of interest in the double murder, and with his death, the case was closed. The tragic event left the families and the close-knit Lexington community to grapple with the devastating consequences of a family argument that turned deadly, ending the lives of three people.
