Richard Ricky Leroy Preusser, 45, was found dead inside a bedroom closet at a home on Antelope Drive in the Dalzell area on August 19, 2022. A 911 caller initially suggested an overdose, but deputies and the Sumter County Coroner’s Office observed a gunshot wound to the upper right side of his chest. An autopsy confirmed the gunshot wound to the chest as the cause of death and the case was treated as a homicide.

Two roommates were in the residence that day. One, James Edward Barnes, 40, gave a false name during initial questioning, left the scene and attempted to evade police. He was found the next day, gave inconsistent accounts, and investigators recovered a firearm believed to have been used. Warrants were issued for Barnes; he was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and booked into the Sumter County Detention Center. The sheriff described the killing as an isolated incident.

If anyone knew Ricky or his living situation in Dalzell, please share information that could help clarify what happened.