Authorities in Lancaster County, South Carolina, have charged six illegal migrants, aged 13 to 21, in connection with the May 2 murder of 40-year-old mother Larisha Sharrell Thompson. Thompson was found deceased with a gunshot wound behind the wheel of her vehicle on Riverside Road in Lancaster. The suspects are also linked to a separate burglary that occurred on April 30 at the Van Wyck Mart.
The arrests of suspects— Asael Aminadas Torres-Chirinos, 21; Jarby Ardon Ramos-Odari, 18; and Jeyson Sobied Pineda-Salgado, 17 along with three juveniles, ages 13, 14 and 15— were announced by authorities on May 12. All six face charges of murder, attempted armed robbery, and second-degree burglary. Torres-Chirinos is additionally charged with two counts of possession of firearms during the commission of a crime and one additional count of firearm possession as an illegal alien.
Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile stated, “This shooting defies any sense of decency in a civilized society.” He described the incident as a “random robbery attempt,” noting that the suspects pulled alongside Thompson’s car and opened fire when they could not gain entry. Ballistic evidence linked the same 9mm handgun used in the April 30 burglary to Thompson’s murder.
The Department of Homeland Security has placed detainers on all six individuals charged, according to Faile. The local community is a “much safer place today because these six individuals are off the streets,” he added during a press conference.
