Sumter man charged with 2013 murder, arson

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office has charged a Sumter man with two murder charges as well as other charges after the suspect confessed to starting a fire that killed an elderly couple at a historic Wedgefield home in 2013.

Jason Dustin Compton, 34, formerly of 4365 Bethel Church Road, has been charged with two counts of murder, one count of arson – first degree, and one count of burglary – first degree, for the intentional fire that killed Edward Hall, 87, and his wife, Harriett Hall, 83, in February 2013.

Both victims died from a combination of carbon monoxide poisoning and burns from the fire, which also destroyed the 170-year-old home in the 1000 block of Highway 261 South.

Compton already faces multiple violent crime charges including one count of murder for the 2014 bludgeoning death of a 44-year-old woman.

These new charges against Compton come in addition to the litany of charges he faces for a May 2014 incident that left 44-year-old Tracey Koepfler dead, a 14-year-old girl hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and a wheelchair-bound 46-year-old woman injured.

Deputies arrested Compton at the scene of the 2014 incident in the 4300 block of Bethel Church Road. Responding to reports of an attack, once inside officers found a woman in the living room, severely bludgeoned about the head with the apparent assault weapon, a metal hammer, lying near her.

Investigations revealed Compton had also demanded, after attacking the deceased victim, that both a 14-year-old girl and a 46-year-old woman at the home undress in front of him. When they refused, he also attacked them, choking the girl and trying to suffocate the woman by covering her nose and mouth. Compton also allegedly dragged the teenaged girl into the living room of the home and forced her to watch him continue to assault the deceased with the hammer. While this was occurring, the 46-year-old woman was apparently able to call law enforcement from a cellphone.

For this incident, which the suspect confessed to at the scene of the crime, Compton was charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of kidnapping, one count of criminal sexual conduct – first degree and one count of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Compton will remain at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center awaiting trial on both sets of charges. Bond was initially denied after his 2014 arrest.