By Heather Ruppe
A Colleton County man has been denied bond after he allegedly shot to death his wife and son.
James Holmes, of Walterboro, is charged with two counts of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He surrendered to deputies on Saturday, July 23rd, in an area described as being a “short distance from the crime scene,” according to Shalane Lowes, spokeswoman for the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.
Holmes was taken into custody on Saturday and has since been denied bond on these charges. He will remain in custody at the Colleton County Detention Center until he can be seen by a circuit court judge, Lowes said.
According to Lowes, deputies were called to 49 Enchanted Lane around 3:30 p.m. on July 23rd after they received a 911-call from a child, who said that his father had just shot his mother and his older brother.
Deputies arrived at the house and discovered the victims. Both appear to have died from gunshot wounds, she said.
The victims are identified as Deirdre Holmes, 52, and Timothy Behring, 36, both of Colleton County. The victims’ names and ages were released officially on Sunday, July 24th by Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey. The younger child who called 911 and reported the crime was not harmed in the incident, according to Lowes. His identity is being withheld since he is a juvenile.
This is still an active and ongoing investigation, Lowes said. Therefore, anyone with information about this crime is asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS or the sheriff’s office at 843-549-2211.
