A South Carolina woman was charged with murder after police discovered her 81-year-old husband shot dead in an assisted living facility.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that Harriett Kay Recker, 82, was arrested on Friday. According to police, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at Preston Health Center on the Cypress in Hilton Head around 10:30 a.m. When they arrived, they discovered Dennis Recker, 81, with gunshot wounds in a room at the facility. Harriett Recker was present, “alongside her spouse.”
The Beaufort County Coroner officially identified Dennis Recker as the victim on Monday, after notifying his family of his death. His wife was arrested on Friday and booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center; she remains on the inmate roster as of Monday afternoon.
Preston Health Center offers both short- and long-term care, as well as memory care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. It wasn’t clear which spouse was a patient at the facility.
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According to police, Dennis Recker received emergency medical care at the scene but died as a result of his injuries. Investigators did not provide a possible explanation for the crime, but did state that the investigation was ongoing. They also stated that there was no additional threat to the public following the fatal shooting.
Harriett Recker was charged with murder and carrying a weapon during a violent crime. She is being held without a bond. She was due to be arraigned on Monday.
