Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office investigators are trying to piece together what led to the violent deaths of three people found inside a Landrum Mill Road home early Saturday morning.
"It was brutal," Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said. "It was a bad crime scene. They were all found in the living room."
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger identified the victims as Nathan Louis Poffenberger, 23, of Landrum Mill Road; Francis Delancey Richards, 59, of 630 Landrum Mill Road; and Fred Richards of 630 Landrum Mill Road.
Poffenberger's father became concerned that his son hadn't come home the night before, Clevenger said. When he checked his son's room and found him missing Saturday morning, Poffenberger's father went to the Richards' home at 630 Landrum Mill Road, where he discovered his son dead along with the Richards.
Deputies arrived on the scene soon after, at about 6 a.m.
Clevenger described the deaths as "violent in nature" in an email. One autopsy has been completed, and two others are scheduled for Sunday. Clevenger said the deaths will be ruled homicides.
Members of the Sheriff's Office's Crime Scene Unit meticulously searched inside the white one-story home for evidence Saturday, placing what they found in small and large brown bags for collection. They also searched the gravel driveway for evidence.
Wright said the Sheriff's Office wasn't going to release how the three were killed at this time, and that interviews would continue in the case.
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Wright said it wasn't unusual for Poffenberger to be at the Richards' house, since he was friends with them.
Throughout the afternoon, neighbors stopped their cars as they drove by the scene.
Kathy Ackerman awoke early Saturday morning to flashing blue lights across the street from her Landrum Mill Road home.
Ackerman said she moved to the area about three years ago and had known the Richards for that time. She said she spoke with Francis Richards this past Wednesday and nothing seemed unusual. Ackerman said she would often see the couple outside walking their dog.
Ackerman said she also knew Poffenberger from the neighborhood. He would often stop by and cut her grass when needed.
She said she had hoped that he wasn't among those found dead Saturday morning, texting his phone repeatedly and waiting for a response. It never came.
"That's too close to home," Ackerman said. "It is all really sad. We are really upset. They were such good people."
The circumstances surrounding the three deaths is still under investigation, Master Deputy Darren Dukes said in an email. The Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's assistance in its investigation.
Dukes stated it isn't known at this time if this was an isolated incident.
Investigators are asking anyone who might have been in contact with the victims or anyone who saw anything or anyone suspicious in the area of Landrum Mill Road between 7 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday to contact Detective Sgt. Joey Guffey at 864-503-4670 or jguffey@spartanburgcounty.org.
Anonymous tips can be provided through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.