David Adam Pate, 24, of Lancaster (Lancaster Sheriff’s Office)
LANCASTER, S.C. — A man has been charged with murder after a badly decomposed body was found in a wooded area in Lancaster, South Carolina on Saturday.
Deputies in Lancaster responded to an area near Mullis Circle and Wade Street on Saturday afternoon after children playing in the woods found a badly decomposed body.
The victim was identified as 33-year-old Rickey W. James, according to the Lancaster Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators determined David Adam Pate, 24, of 1050 Mullis Circle, went into the wooded area with James. Pate then allegedly killed James and concealed his body under a pile of brush.
On Friday, Pate was charged with murder. He remains at the Lancaster County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.
No motive for the murder has been determined.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. James. We are thankful that we were able to solve this case so quickly. Our investigators did a great job putting this case together. We suspected Pate almost immediately but had to wait on lab results to prove it. We are thankful he is in jail where he belongs,” Sheriff Faile said in a news release.
Fri.
That is one creepy looking dude.
Fay
They are gonna have so much fun outta him in prison,,,,,
Sat.
He looks like quite the oddball.
Trav May
Not sure if the pic is of the suspect or the “badly decomposed” victim…
Clint Lowe
I was thinking the same thing!
Chucky1992
I was too.
Captainobvious
For sure!!
Mary Kaye Waterson
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Eeeeyuck.
Jon Tibbits
How could you say something so hateful? The badly decomposed body looks much better than that.
TBarbie
That’s what I was thinking.
Monique
Its The Suspect……….
Rick
The Devil’s Spawn…
Captainobvious
For sure – I wasn’t sure if the pic was of the decomposed body.
angie
Those poor kids that found that badly decomposed body!!!!!! I can’t even imagine what their little minds are thinking!!
Roni
This poor soul has deep medical problems, very deep and its a shame that no one got him help. Just look at him, a sane person would never wish to look that way, this is someone with deep mental distress. Prayers are needed, for victim and predator. I would not be shocked to learn drugs are involved
Wolfgang H.
DRUGS INVOLVED RONI?? i THINK THAT’S A GIVEN!
Mr. Papageorgio
Roni, Its people like you who allow themselves to be fooled by such things. He should have been shot on site and then our hard earned tax money wouldn’t be spent on a trial and then the rest of his life being spent in some mental institution. I feel sorry for my tax money! Not this poor soul.
Rich Phucker
I bet you’re the type of guy that in the next sentence you say Obama is trampling our constitution. I bet you’re also the type of guy too ignorant to realize you just did they same thing.
Jon Tibbits
This poor soul!!!!!!?????? Are you actually serious? Reallllly? I think it’s you that needs some help!!!
Aesop Jones
It’s good that the defectives often mark themselves.
ty
R.I.p ima miss yu sooo
Dustin Cavanaugh
He is a satanist. Some Satanists participate in ritual killings. There does not necessarily need to be a motive. Human sacrifices go back to the beginning of recorded time and probably before. Most Satanists are pretty cool individuals though so don’t let this guy make you afraid of everyone. It very rarely happens. Notice the word “satan” on his eye, the number 999 (Satanist derived) the upside down cross, and the serpent tongue. This guy went full force. Likely mentally troubled. Most Satanists you can’t tell from anyone else. Either way I feel sorry for the victim’s family.
Brooke Lane
I seriously doubt that. The tattoo is actually “974”, a fairly well known gang tattoo. The cross is not an inverted cross, but a very poorly done iron cross. As for the Satan, who knows, dude was just crazy.
Carl Dickinson
This one is better off under the jail house than in it. Don’t waste taxpayers money on this one. Just end it!!!
renee
wow I think the looks evil not just his markings but his eyes.. I really think he Is a Demon or something evil.. I mean He seems to far gone.. I guess some would try to say he is ill, but he let himself get that way. His eyes tell the story.
Itis Forjunks
24 years old? You sure? He looks like devilish old man to me. I thought he was 50 years old when I first saw the picture. That is one ugly face there.