Mother and Son Found Shot To Death In Laurens County

A man is in custody after he allegedly shot and killed his wife and step-son early Sunday morning in Laurens County.

By: Rich Klindworth, Rob Landreth | News Channel 7
Published: November 29, 2009

The sound of gunshots awoke a tiny, close knit community in Fountain Inn early Sunday morning as a man allegedly killed his wife and step-son.

The incident happened just before 4 am at 5553 Allen Bridge Road in the Fountain Inn portion of Laurens County. Laurens County Sheriff Ricky Chastain said that 32-year old Gentry O'Neil Chapman called 911 and informed dispatchers that he was driving to the Fountain Inn Police Department to turn himself in because he had just shot and killed his wife, 31-year old Amanda Chapman and his step-son, 17-year old Ashton Arnold.

When investigators from the Sheriff's office arrived on scene, inside the mobile home they discovered the bodies of Chapman and Arnold in seperate parts of the home suffering from shotgun wounds to the head, Chastain said. Two other children, ages eight and 12, were also inside the home at the time of the shooting and were taken by Chapman to the police department when he turned himself in. The children were turned over to authorities from the Department of Social Services.

What sparked the shooting remains a mystery, as some family members claim that Chapman had been having troubles with his wife and step-son, while other claim that the shooting was "shocking' and "crazy."

"It is just unbelievable," said one family member, who did not want to be identified. "It is crazy. I don't know what to say."

Chastain said that Chapman claims that the shooting was in self defense and had been abused by the two victims. However, Chastain says that evidence at the scene did not substaniate the self defense claim.

"The bodies were found in different parts of the house," Chastain said. "It appears there may have been some type of argument that turned violent."

Chastain said there is no history of domestic violence at the home and neighbors remained in shock over the loss of two close friends.

Chapman is being held at Laurens' Johnson Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing that is scheduled for Monday afternoon. He has been charged with two counts of murder.

Sunday was Ashton Arnold's birthday and he had just turned 17 when the shootings happened.