In the summer of 1977, a routine day at the Lancaster County Prison Camp in South Carolina turned tragic, forever altering the lives of a dedicated guard and his family. On July 5th, 50-year-old Guard J.T. McAteer was on duty when he permitted two inmates to use the telephone in the guard shack, a small act of decency that would have unforeseen and fatal consequences.
One of the inmates, a 25-year-old man serving a minor sentence for public drunkenness, seized the opportunity to
overpower the guard. He managed to grab McAteer's own. 22 caliber pistol and, without hesitation, fired three shots into the guard's chest. The sudden violence claimed McAteer's life almost instantly. The inmate then turned the weapon on the other prisoner but missed his target.
Following the deadly encounter, the inmate fled the prison camp, forcing a woman to drive him away from the scene. His desperate bid for freedom was short-lived, however. In a surprising turn of events, he surrendered to authorities just 90 minutes after the shooting. The man, who had only been incarcerated for a week, was subsequently convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Guard McAteer and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Decades later, in 2007, the man who had taken McAteer's life was released from prison. His return to society was not a quiet one. He was arrested again after making death threats at a county building, bringing the painful memories of the past back to the forefront for the community and the family of the fallen guard. J.T. McAteer, who had served as a part-time guard for a year, was survived by his parents, four sisters, and three brothers. His father also worked as a part-time guard at the very same prison camp where his son's life was tragically cut short.
