In Lancaster, South Carolina, authorities have arrested Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr., 35 (some reports say 36), on charges that he kept four “vulnerable adults” captive in his basement for years and systematically exploited them financially. The case came to light after the death of one female victim on July 25, when police responding to an unattended death discovered her body and, inside the home, three additional individuals who appeared to be held against their will.  According to charging documents, Birchfield controlled nearly every aspect of his captives’ lives—when they ate, when they used the bathroom, whether they had outside contact—and subjected them to abuse, neglect, and isolation. Over at least a three‑year stretch starting in September 2022, investigators say he used the victims’ debit cards and bank accounts to make purchases for himself, pay credit card bills, and fund personal expenses; in one reported span, he withdrew or spent more than $11,800 from one couple’s account alone. He now faces multiple felony charges including exploitation of a vulnerable adult, false imprisonment, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, financial identity fraud, and transaction card theft and fraud. The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors are reviewing a full medical and pathologist’s assessment of the deceased victim to possibly bring additional charges.