Laurens County, SC: Woman Killed Inside Home; Boyfriend To Be Charged

Fred Madden Charged With Murder

POSTED: 12:56 pm EST December 10, 2009
UPDATED: 6:06 pm EST December 10, 2009


LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. -- A woman was found dead in a Laurens County home late Thursday morning, and a few hours later, her boyfriend was being questioned by investigators.
"We're considering this a murder now," said Sheriff Ricky Chastain. "It appears that the victim died from a gunshot wound to the head."

Fred Lewis Madden, 51, will be charged with murder, deputies said.
Laurens County Sheriff Ricky Chastain said Madden and his 58-year-old girlfriend, Ernestine Brown, had a history of domestic problems.
Brown's family found out Madden was going to her home on Highway 308 on Thursday, so Brown's brother went to check on her. The brother said as he pulled up to the house, Madden was pulling away on a moped.
Brown's brother went into the home, and found his sister dead in the bedroom. The coroner said Brown died just after 10 in the morning. She was pronounced dead at the scene just before noon.


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Relatives called Madden, but he told them he didn't know anything about Brown's death. Madden gave his address to the relatives who passed it on to detectives.
Detectives will search the home where they found Madden.
The State Law Enforcement Division is assisting Laurens County sheriff's deputies in the investigation.
The sheriff said the case comes with a lesson.
"As far as a domestic situation, the importance of letting someone know to get out of that situation, to seek some kind of avenue to get some help in regards to this," said Chastain. "That's not saying the victim hasn't attempted to do that, but don't take a domestic situation lightly."