Sumter police charge ex-husband in connection to fatal shooting of 79-year-old woman

A 79-year-old woman was found deceased inside her home, and police have charged the ex-husband in connection to her death.

Officers with Sumter Police Department responded to a shooting call after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11. There, they found Sherri Swoger Redmond, 79, dead inside her Mimosa Road home, according to Tonyia McGirt, public information officer for police department.

Her ex-husband, William Forrest Redmond Jr., 78, who also lived at the residence was present when officers arrived.

Information gathered during the investigation indicated an ongoing dispute between the couple before the shooting. He was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during  a violent crime, McGirt said. He remains at Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center awaiting bond.

Next of kin has been notified, and an autopsy will be performed on Saturday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

An investigation is ongoing by Sumter Police Department and Sumter County Coroner’s Office.