Henrietta Rhetta Green Belcher, a 69-year-old female, met a tragic end in her Inman, South Carolina home, a place that should have been her sanctuary. A homemaker who had suffered a stroke that impaired her ability to communicate, she was under the care of her husband, William 'Eddie' Belcher, an associate pastor who had retired to dedicate his time to her.
The couple, parents to five and grandparents to fourteen, were found deceased in their residence on November 15, 2016, though it was determined they had been killed ten days prior.
The discovery was made after a concerned relative requested a welfare check, leading authorities to the grim scene inside the Belcher's home. Both Henrietta and her husband had been shot to death. An autopsy would later reveal that Henrietta had been shot twice. Their bodies had been left in the house for over a week before being found. The investigation into their deaths quickly focused on a suspect close to home: their son, Stephen Linwood Belcher.
Stephen Belcher confessed to the killings, leading to his arrest. His defense painted a picture not of a malicious act, but of a desperate plea for an end to suffering. According to his lawyer, Stephen's father, William, had been struggling with his wife's declining health and his own personal issues. He had allegedly begged his son to end their lives. While his father may have requested this tragic outcome, Henrietta, due to her health condition, could not have consented.
Initially charged with two counts of murder, Stephen Linwood Belcher later reached a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter. In court, his actions were described by his defense as 'merciful.' He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the deaths of his parents.
