In late January, the quiet of a South Carolina community was disturbed when a passerby made a grim discovery on the porch of a home on Augusta Road. The body of 52-year-old homeowner Joseph A. Keenan Sr., a man known to be in the construction industry, was found lifeless. An investigation by the Aiken County Coroner's office would later confirm that Keenan had been shot to death.
Within a week of the discovery, the Aiken County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of two men in
connection with the homicide. Zackery Taylor Smith, 28, was taken into custody at a residence on Pelzer Street in Warrenville, approximately a mile from where Keenan's body was found. The second suspect, 26-year-old Austin Blake Satcher, was already incarcerated at the Aiken County Detention Center on unrelated charges when he was charged in Keenan's death.
Both Satcher and Smith face charges of murder and first-degree burglary. Satcher was also charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime. According to a warrant, a possible motive for the crime stemmed from Keenan discovering Smith on his property. It is alleged that Satcher then shot Keenan in the back. Following the shooting, both Smith and Satcher are accused of entering Keenan's home and stealing his property, including his work truck, tools, and a trailer. Both suspects have prior criminal records involving weapons and drugs. The investigation into Keenan's death is reportedly ongoing.
