Pastor's son kept four people in basement, authorities say

A South Carolina pastor's son kept four people, including a married couple, confined in a basement for years, authorities said, and the arrangement was only exposed after a woman died at his Lancaster home. Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr., 35, faces 16 charges, including false imprisonment, exploitation of a vulnerable adult and domestic violence, according to the South Carolina Attorney General's Office. Investigators allege Birchfield physically abused the victims, controlled when they would use the bathroom, restricted their access to cellphones and diverted their money.

The investigation began July 25, when authorities responded to an unattended death at a 3,751-square-foot house on Churchill Drive in Lancaster, about 50 miles from the Charlotte metropolitan area. The residence, built in 1996 and last sold for $200,000 in 2022, was at the center of warrants describing abuse and neglect. Authorities say the woman who died had been physically abused and denied food and medical care, and they determined she died one day before law enforcement arrived. The other occupants of the basement included her husband and two women who were romantically involved with Birchfield. Birchfield was reportedly their sole caregiver, though it remains unclear how he knew the couple.

Birchfield's father is a pastor at the Friendship Baptist Church in Lancaster, and residents described a routine shared by the family, according to local reports. In their investigation, police found the four captives living in Birchfield's basement, with records cited by media outlets indicating the basement was used as a confinement space. The two women who lived with Birchfield had reportedly been in relationships with him for varying lengths of time.

The two women described in warrants had different timelines: one had been living with Birchfield since September 2024, while the other had been at the Lancaster residence since 2015. Authorities say Birchfield allowed the captives to leave the basement only when he chose to permit it, effectively controlling their movements for extended periods.

In addition to the confinement allegations, Birchfield is accused of misusing the couple's funds. Police claim he paid off more than $11,800 in credit card debt from the couple's accounts and used their cards for at least $2,000 in Walmart purchases. The full set of charges includes four counts of false imprisonment, four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult, two counts of domestic violence, and four counts of financial fraud. He was arrested on August 1 and booked into the Lancaster County Detention Center on August 2 at 2:38 a.m., and he is currently being held without bail.

Neighbors described the case with shock. "That's a sick individual right there. He's a sick person to do something like that," one resident told local television crews. Police say the investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not disclosed whether additional charges could be filed or if any of the victims are seeking support services. The investigation continues as officials review financial records and interview witnesses to determine the scope of Birchfield's actions and any potential accomplices.