Graniteville woman and son dead in murder-suicide

The murder-suicide happened on the 500 block of Rennie Street in Graniteville (2016 Google maps photo)

Date: May 12, 2023

An elderly Graniteville woman was killed by her son who then turned the gun on himself, authorities said Friday.

Betty James, 86, and Joe James, 68, were found dead Friday afternoon by one of the woman’s other sons, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables. The murder-suicide happened at 555 Rennie Street, around the coroner from Graniteville Elementary School.

“The investigation has determined that Mr. James shot his mother then turned the gun on himself taking his life,” Ables said in a press release.

Ms. James will be autopsied in Newberry while no autopsy is scheduled for Mr. James, the coroner said.

The Coroner’s Office along with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office are continuing with the investigation.

(If you have a photo or memory of Betty James to share, please text it to 803-487-3224.)

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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