Charles Kusko Jr., 48, was found shot to death inside his Columbia, South Carolina home on September 8, 2015, after colleagues noticed he failed to appear for work and a welfare check was requested. The Richland County coroner ruled the death a homicide. His daughters, Laurin Barnes and Kaitlin Huffstetler, pushed to keep the case alive and offered a reward as the investigation stalled for many months.

A break came in June 2017 with the arrests of Kusko’s nephew, 30-year-old Charles Brandon Barham, and 33-year-old Floyd Owen. Investigators say Barham drove Owen to Kusko’s home, acted as a lookout and provided the gun, while Owen entered the house; an argument reportedly followed and Owen later confessed to shooting Kusko twice in the back of the head as he slept. Court records show Owen pleaded guilty on August 20, 2019, to murder, first-degree burglary, conspiracy and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and a jury found Barham guilty of the same charges on August 30, 2019.

Kusko’s family remembered him as a fun-loving, supportive father who often helped others. Does anyone have information about Charles Kusko’s last days or knew him personally that could add context to what happened?