In the quiet, residential community of Houndslake in Aiken, South Carolina, a tragedy unfolded that shattered the neighborhood's peace. Ruth Ann Whitaker, a 70-year-old female resident, was found deceased in her home on Woodbine Road on the evening of March 7, 2023. The cause of her untimely death was a gunshot wound. The Aiken Department of Public Safety responded to a call about a shooting at approximately 5:30 p.m.
and discovered her body at the scene.
The subsequent investigation into the death of the beloved local artist quickly led to an arrest. Ruth Ann's husband, 70-year-old Richard Whitaker, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. The incident was soon classified by authorities as a domestic violence-related homicide, casting a dark shadow over the home the couple shared, which also served as the location for Richard's hand-crafted jewelry business.
Richard Whitaker was formally charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was subsequently booked into the Aiken County Detention Center, where he was held without bond. While an arrest was made, the public safety department continued its investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting, leaving a community to grapple with the loss of one of its members and the shocking nature of her death. An autopsy was scheduled in Newberry to officially determine the cause of death.
