In the late summer of 2015, a quiet evening in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the life of 56-year-old Anthony Patterson. On August 26th, Patterson found himself lured into a residence on Gretta Lane, situated near the county line shared with Calhoun County. What was supposed to be an ordinary encounter quickly turned fatal when several shots were fired.
Patterson was struck in the upper body and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the male victim swiftly pointed to a family duo, an uncle and his nephew. Authorities identified 48-year-old Darrin Houser of St. Matthews and his 24-year-old nephew, Jeremy Houser of Orangeburg, as the primary suspects. The narrative that emerged from the investigation suggested that the Housers had orchestrated an armed robbery, which tragically culminated in Patterson's death. Another individual who was with Patterson at the time was also a victim in the incident but survived.
Following the shooting, the two suspects fled the state in an attempt to evade capture. However, their efforts were short-lived. Investigators tracked Darrin Houser to Washington D.C. just two days after the incident and extradited him back to South Carolina. A little over a week later, on September 9th, Jeremy Houser was also located and brought back to face charges. Darrin Houser was charged with murder and first-degree burglary, while Jeremy Houser faced a murder charge for his role in the death of Anthony Patterson.
