Man charged with killing Spartanburg County deputy booked into York Detention Center

Chalmers Rogland, Herald-Journal
·2 min read
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The Spartanburg man who is charged with murdering Sheriff's Deputy Austin Aldridge in June has been booked into jail after spending months in a hospital.

Duane Heard, 63, faces nine charges, including five felonies, for the June 21 shooting of Aldridge, who was responding to a domestic call after Heard's spouse filed a report stating Heard had struck her.

Deputy Trent Faris of the York County Sheriff's Office said Heard being booked into York County, rather than Spartanburg County, where he is charged, is per a request of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. Lt. Kevin Bobo of SCSO said this is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.

Faris said the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office booked a suspect for York County in 2018, when Det. Mike Doty was shot and killed in a shootout that injured three other officers.

Deputy Austin Aldridge shot and killed June 21. Here's what we know.

During the afternoon of June 21, Aldridge responded to Heard's residence on Chafee Rd. alone. Sheriff Chuck Wright stated that Aldridge's partner was handling the report with Heard's wife.

According to SCSO warrants, Heard shot Aldridge before taking Aldridge's department-issued Glock handgun, Taser, and patrol car keys, with the intention of fleeing in Aldridge's patrol car.

Heard then fled the scene in his own vehicle and was stopped by officers on Anderson Mill Rd. before firing at deputies and fleeing again. Heard abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a patch of woods.

Heard was apprehended but sustained a pair of gunshot wounds that kept him hospitalized until late October. He was initially charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and later armed robbery, 3rd degree domestic violence, failure to stop for blue lights, and two counts of pointing and presenting a firearm.

Aldridge, who served as a beloved school resource officer at the Spartanburg Day School, was memorialized on June 26.

7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette has said his office will pursue the death penalty in this case.

Heard was originally supposed to appear in court virtually on July 26, but was unable to due his medical condition.

A court date has not yet been scheduled. South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Keith Kelly will be presiding over the case.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Man charged with killing Spartanburg County deputy booked into York Detention Center