Seneca Police Department Amends And Upgrades Charges Against Two Teenagers In Shooting Death Of Walhalla Woman

(Seneca, SC)———————The Seneca Police Department has upgraded and amended charges against two teenagers in the shooting death of a Walhalla woman last Thursday at a home on Maple Avenue in Seneca. 

19 year old Decota Castle Brown and 17 year old Hunter Lee Hunnicutt have now been charged with one count each of Murder after originally being charged with Attempted Murder. An additional charge has been filed against both charging them with Possession of a Weapon During Commission of a Violent Crime. Both teens were also charged initially with one count each of First Degree Burglary. 

Captain Casey Bowling of the Seneca Police Department says that officers received a call last Thursday around 6:30pm from Prisma Health-Greenville Memorial Hospital stating that they had a victim there that was part of a burglary at a home and officer were dispatched to the scene. The hospital called back and said she the patient had suffered gunshots wounds. Investigators then responded and secured the scene and began an investigation, upon which a broken window was found and forced entry was made into the residence, according to Bowling. Upon further investigation, shell casings and other evidence was discovered that indicated a shooting had taken place, according to Bowling. Evidence obtained in the investigation showed that both Brown and Hunnicut forced entry into residence and that both participated in the injuries that the victim suffered. 

Bowling said the victim, 73 year old Geraldine M. Castle, did not receive any other injuries, including blunt force trauma injuries. Bowling also said that Brown and Hunnicut were both responsible for the injuries to the victim and that both participated in the violent crime in that the preliminary investigation so far shows that both suspects shot the victim. At this time, it appears that only one firearm was used and evidence gathered so far indicates that both had used the gun. Bowling said that the victim was visiting for the evening, however, Miss Castle is not the primary homeowner and the home belongs to family members and the primary homeowners were not home at the time of the crime. Bowling says that no one else was inside of the residence at the time of the crime except for Miss Castle. The victim and the homeowners are family members and the homeowners are the parents of the Brown subject. In fact, according to Bowling, the victim is the grandmother of the Brown subject. Hunnicutt does not have connections to the family, according to Bowling. A motive is not known at this time in regards to the shooting of Miss Castle but Bowling says that both subjects were attempting to get into some safes and that the main motive appears to be a residential burglary. Bowling says that he is not sure if the subjects knew the home was occupied. Bowling says that Hunnicut and Brown have been friends and have been living house to house and that there has been drug use between both of them. 

Bowling says the family found a broken window in regards to the burglary and that a family member made the initial call and thought that Miss Castle was suffering from a medical episode and requested transport to the hospital. It was not until Miss Castle was at the hospital that the discovery was made that she had been shot. Hunnicut was arrested on the Utica Mill Hill and Brown was located at a convenience store on Highway 123 and arrested by a deputy from the Sheriff’s Office. The investigation is ongoing and Bowling thanked the Sheriff’s Office for partnering with them and their assistance in the investigation. If anyone has any additional information, they are asked to call the Seneca Police Department.