A 35-year-old man, Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr, has been arrested in South Carolina for allegedly keeping four vulnerable adults locked in the basement of his home for several years while spending their money.
According to People, police began looking into Birchfield after an unreported death at his Lancaster home in July raised suspicions. Investigators say the deceased woman and her husband were under his care but lacked proper medical treatment and showed signs of abuse.
Further investigation revealed two more women in the house — both allegedly held against their will. One of them is said to have lived there since 2015, the other since 2024.
According to warrants, Birchfield controlled his victims’ eating, bathroom use, and communication. He is also accused of strangling one of the women during assaults and threatening her by claiming he knew how to dispose of a body.
Authorities say he spent thousands of dollars from his victims’ bank accounts this year alone, including more than $11,000 to pay off personal debts.
“He’s a sick person to do something like that,” a neighbor, Darryl Evans, told WSOC-TV.
Birchfield has been charged with exploitation of vulnerable adults, false imprisonment, domestic violence, and financial fraud. He is being held without bail at the Lancaster County Detention Center.
