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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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The sister of a missing man who was found alive in a basement in South Carolina following a years-long search said the discovery was “heartbreaking.”
"He really didn't say anything because I think he was still in trauma and shock," Terisa Hinson, the man’s sister, told WSOC-TV. "I walked out the room and started crying because it was just so heartbreaking."
Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. is accused of keeping several people in his basement and using their funds for his own financial gain, according to an incident report obtained by Newsweek.
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He is facing 16 charges, including multiple counts of false imprisonment and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Birchfield’s attorney, M. Ryan Payne, told WBTV that Birchfield maintains his innocence in this case.
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Why It Matters
Hinson told WSOC-TV that her brother was trapped in the home’s basement with his wife. The wife was found dead, the station reported, citing police warrants.
"I wanna know why. Why them? I mean, of all the people in the world, why them?" Hinson said.
What To Know
Lancaster police responded to an unattended death at a residence on Churchill Drive on July 25.
Warrants obtained by WBTV stated Birchfield was the sole caregiver of a man and a woman. He allegedly denied them access to sustenance, medical needs and communication, and wouldn’t allow them to leave the basement, according to the news station.
Birchfield is also accused of using the victims’ debit cards and bank accounts to make personal purchases and pay his own credit card bills since September 2022, according to WBTV.
"It really makes me sick that I couldn't do anything," Hinson said.
Hinson said her brother “looked feeble” and weighed about 70 pounds, or 32 kilograms, when she visited him in the hospital. She said her brother has a developmental disability and lived on his own before he went missing several years ago, WSOC-TV reported.
What People Are Saying
Terisa Hinson, the sister of a man found in a basement in South Carolina, told WSOC-TV: “I'm hoping he gets charged to the fullest extent, honestly.”
M. Ryan Payne, Birchfield’s attorney, told WBTV: “My office is currently investigating this matter. My client maintains his innocence in this case and it is important to remember that he is presumed innocent of these allegations. We look forward to litigating this case in the court system where facts, evidence, and the rule of law matter.”
What Happens Next
Birchfield has been placed under a $150,000 bond. The Lancaster Police Department told Newsweek that the investigation is ongoing and more charges may be filed.
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Update 9/25/25, 2:52 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the Lancaster Police Department.
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