In the early morning hours of January 22, 2026, a fatal encounter unfolded in Anderson, South Carolina, leaving 29-year-old Oscar David Barrios Mazariegos dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Mazariegos, a self-employed mechanic originally from Guatemala, was found deceased in his vehicle outside an apartment complex.
The events leading to the shooting began when Thomas J. Anderson, 35, arrived at his estranged wife's apartment and found Mazariegos there.
Anderson, who was armed, angrily confronted Mazariegos. In an apparent attempt to escape the escalating situation, Mazariegos fled the apartment and got into his vehicle. However, Anderson pursued him and opened fire, killing him.
Anderson County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the scene and quickly identified Thomas J. Anderson as the suspect. He was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Following his arrest, Anderson was booked into the Anderson County Detention Center to await a bond hearing.
Oscar David Barrios Mazariegos was the son of the late Oscar Otoniel Barrios y Barrios and Trinis Mazariegos. He is survived by his mother and his sister, Francisca Carlota Barrios Mazariegos. Funeral services were arranged to be held in Anderson, with final rites to take place at a later date in his native Guatemala.
