Dorchester County Detectives Charge Summerville Man with Murder Following Suspicious Death Investigation

Richard Paul Dandridge, 50, has been arrested for murder following a suspicious death investigation on Alicia Drive in Summerville, South Carolina.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 5:46 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from ABC News 4

Deputies Respond to Initial Reports of Fatality on Alicia Drive

The criminal investigation began on Tuesday, March 10, when deputies from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in Summerville. Upon arriving at the 100 block of Alicia Drive, law enforcement officials located a deceased individual, the nature of which was immediately deemed irregular. The initial scene assessment prompted the mobilization of the Criminal Investigation Division, as the presence of a body without a clear natural cause of death required a forensic and procedural deep dive by county detectives.

Detectives Reclassify Case as Murder After Forty Eight Hour Review

In the forty eight hours following the discovery on Alicia Drive, investigators worked to piece together the events that led to the victim’s passing. While authorities have not yet released the specific findings that shifted the case from a death investigation to a homicide, the evidence gathered was sufficient to secure a warrant. By Thursday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office announced that the case had been formally reclassified as a murder, marking a significant escalation in the legal proceedings surrounding the incident.

Suspect Apprehended and Processed by Dorchester County Authorities

The primary suspect in the case, identified as 50 year old Richard Paul Dandridge, was taken into custody on March 12. Dandridge, a local resident of Summerville, now faces a single count of murder in relation to the Tuesday discovery. Following his arrest, he was processed by county officials, though information regarding his initial bond hearing or legal representation has not been made public as the investigation transitions into the judicial phase.