The suspect in the investigation of a South Carolina house fire where six people were found dead was charged with the murder of his 11-year-old daughter, the prosecutor’s office announced Monday.
Ryan Lenard Manigo, 33, is charged with two counts of murder and an additional attempted murder charge against the lone survivor of the fire, a 13-year-old, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone announced at a press conference Monday. Stone identified the 11-year-old as Shariah Manigo and the second murder victim as Manigo’s sister-in-law, Michelle Marie Wright, 50.
“As the two murder charges carry potential life sentences, those must be set by a circuit court judge,” Stone said. “My office will arrange those and schedule those through our chief administrative judge within the next few days and we will notify the public of that hearing.”
The other four victims who died in the fire are pending identification through autopsy, officials said. Manigo may face additional charges depending on the autopsy results, the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office previously said.
Sheriff Guerry “Buddy” Hill said that his deputies were called to the house fire Sunday morning in Green Pond, arriving to a residence fully engulfed in flames.
The juvenile who survived the fire was found outside the home with cuts and stab wounds, Hill told reporters Monday. The child, who was not identified, was able to give the suspect’s first name and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.
Family members were able to help provide the suspect’s full name and Manigo was arrested near the residence, the sheriff said.
“The evidence collected has been sent to the State Law Enforcement Division for analysis,” Hill said. “At this time, we do not have a motive. This is a very active investigations and as details emerge, we will forward them to the family and the media.”
Neither Hill nor Stone answered questions from reporters Monday, citing the ongoing investigation.
David Magwood told NBC affiliate WCBD that several of his family members were in the house and that his 101 year old mother was one of the victims in the fire.
Magwood did not immediately respond to a phone call from NBC News Monday.
Family members were permitted to speak at Manigo’s hearing Monday, according to WCBD, including one who told Manigo he will “never be forgiven.”
“You took away our matriarch of our family,” the family member said. “Someone who took you in and fed you just as her own. I just wish you get the worse charges ever. I really wish you death. I wish they give you the death penalty.”
Manigo does not have an attorney listed for him on court records and remained in custody as of Monday afternoon.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
