A South Carolina father is charged with murdering six people including his 11-year-old daughter in a house fire, as cops revealed the sole survivor is a 13-year-old girl who identified the suspect.
Ryan Lenard Mangino, 33, is charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the stabbing deaths and house fire on Folly Creek Lane in Green Pond on Sunday that left six dead and one injured.
Two of the deceased were identified as Michelle Marie Wright, 50, Mangino’s sister-in-law, and Sariya Mangino, the suspect’s daughter, by Colleton County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) announced at a press conference on Monday.
Shamiah Rutledge, 7, was also identified as another victim by her aunt on GoFundme on Sunday.
Mangino is facing more charges once the other victims are identified, per an autopsy report. Officials said that both Michelle Marie Wright and Sariya Mangino were stabbed to death before the fire.
Ryan Lenard Mangino, 33, has been charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the stabbing deaths and house fire at a home in Green Pond on Sunday that left six dead and one injured
Sariya Mangino, 11, was one of the victims and daughter of the suspect, Ryan Lenard Mangino, 33
Firefighters from Colleton County Fire-Rescue were alerted to a fire at the home in Green Pond community around 11am. When they arrived the made the gruesome discovery of six lifeless bodies
Firefighters from Colleton County Fire-Rescue were alerted to a blaze and when they arrived the house was engulfed in flames. Once inside, they made the gruesome discovery of the six people deceased in the burning building.
The surviving victim – who has not been named -was airlifted to a nearby hospital and treated for cuts and stab wounds gave authorities Mangio’s name, description and vehicle, officials said.
Sheriff Guerry ‘Buddy’ Hill said the young girl had been found wounded and was outside the home.
Hiram Davis, a spokesperson for the family of the victims said the motive for the killings remains unclear, WCIV News reported.
At a press conference on Monday, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said: ‘The two murder charges carry potential life sentences, those must be set by a circuit court judge,’ NBC News reported.
‘My office will arrange those and schedule those through our chief administrative judge within the next few days and we will notify the public of that hearing,’ she added.
Sheriff Hill said the evidence collected has been sent to the State Law Enforcement Division for analysis.
‘At this time, we do not have a motive,’ Hill said. ‘This is a very active investigation and as details emerge, we will forward them to the family and the media.’
On Sunday, SLED Director of Public Relations Renee said the SLED Arson Unit, SLED Crime Scene Unit, Agents with SLED’s Low Country Region, and SLED’s Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) were requested to assist in the arson and death investigation by the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, ABC4 News reported.
Fire crews are seen extinguishing the fire at the home on Green Pond. It is unclear how the fire started, and
A 13-year-old victim and sole survivor of the horror killing was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital
Three grief-stricken family members who tragically lost their loved ones were present at Monday’s bond hearing and expressed that they were in favor of the death penalty.
‘I just want Ryan to know that he’ll never be forgiven,’ one of the family members said.
‘I wish you (Mangino) get the worst charges ever. I wish they give you the death penalty because what you did has brought death to us. We hate you,’ they said.
Champions in Motion, a youth program that Sariya participated in posted photos of the young victim and sent a loving tribute mourning the young cheerleader’s tragic death.
‘Champions in Motion asks all to lift up the Walterboro, SC family up today as we all mourn the lose of our own Sariya Mangino,’ they wrote.
‘What a smile, life and light she brought,’ they said. ‘In Columbus we ALL perform for you Sariya.’
A third victim of the Sunday horror was seven-year-old Shamiah Rutledge, Law & Crime reported. A relative said the young girl had just had her birthday in May.
A GoFundMe was created by Kelisha Arnold, the victim’s devastated aunt who called her called her niece’s death ‘a tragic homicide by fire,’ the news outlet reported.
‘She was only 7 years old at the time of her passing and was the sweetest funniest soul anyone could meet,’ she wrote.
‘The whole family is still shocked and in disbelief, as this is very fresh.’
As of Monday evening, $762 was raised towards their goal of $7,000.
Curtis Magwood, a pastor and family member of the victims told WCSC that victims were hard to identify, KKTV News reported.
‘The unfortunate part about it is we can’t even identify them, so going beyond that part, the last time we saw them was the last time that we’ll ever see them,’ Magwood said.
‘So, that’s something we have to live with, and that’s the most hurtful part of the whole thing,’ he said.
He also said those killed had left remarkable impacts in and around their communities.
