Sean Patrick Peters pled guilty today on the eve of trial to Life Imprisonment in the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) for Murdering his estranged wife Rachel Peters, in the most heinous of ways with Rachel’s 10-year-old daughter witnessing his actions.  11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard and Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes handled the prosecution of this case.  Sgt. Traci Barr of the Lexington County Sheriff's Department led the investigation. 

Prior to Rachel’s murder, by all outward accounts, Peters, Rachel, and her two daughters were your ideal family. About a month prior to her murder, the marriage fell apart and Rachel obtained an order of protection. She immediately severed all ties to Peters.

During the early morning hours on December 13, 2015, Peters broke into the marital residence armed with two guns. He entered the bedroom where Rachel and her 10-year-old daughter were sleeping. He ordered Rachel out of the bed while pointing a gun at the child. He ordered Rachel to undress and eventually shot her twice in the head. Both were contact wounds, meaning that Peters held the gun directly against Rachel's head. 

Peters then called 911 and requested S.W.A.T. When law enforcement arrived on scene, they acted with great bravery. During the guilty plea, Solicitor Hubbard commended Master Deputy Eddie Richardson of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) for his swift action in this case by using a cigarette and brief conversation to get Peters to open the door. Hubbard praised the 10-year-old child for her bravery and quick thinking for distracting Peters. This action allowed Master Deputy Richardson to deploy his taser and ultimately capture Peters. Her actions, coupled with Master Deputy Richardson's, counteracted any plan by Peters for further harm. 

Judge Eugene C. Griffith, Jr., imposed the life sentence on Peters for his horrific, senseless killing of Rachel. Sean Patrick Peters will spend the rest of his life and die in prison. We want to recognize the Lexington County Sheriff's Department (LCSD) and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) forensics lab for all of their hard work on this case. The collaborative group effort of these agencies along with the Solicitor's Office resulted in justice being served for Rachel.