Shocking new charges have been brought in the case of a family that was brutally murdered in their homes on Halloween night in 2015.
Cathy Scott, her husband Michael Scott, Mr Scott's mother, Barbara, and Ms Scott's mother, Violet Taylor, were murdered on Halloween night in 2015. Now, the couple’s daughter, Amy Vilardi, and her husband, Rosmore "Ross" Vilardi, have been arrested and charged in their deaths.
Ms Vilardi and her husband were featured in tearful television interviews following the murders, but are now considered the prime suspects in the slayings, according to The Daily Beast.
The four adults were found shot and killed in their homes in Pendleton, South Carolina, on 2 November 2015. Ms Vilardi made the 911 call, saying at the time that she'd stopped by the house for a visit and found her family members' bodies.
Ms Vilardi went on to appear on numerous news outlets, lamenting the murders and calling her family "wonderful people" who "just didn't deserve this."
She told 7News at the time of the murders that police had kept her in the dark regarding the investigation.
“I understand [investigators] have a job to do, but sometimes as family members we want answers and we just want to know what’s going on," she said.
Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride announced the charges against Ms Vilardi and her husband on Friday, claiming the couple was well aware of the true culprits behind the murders.
“God bless this family. They have been through so much and they have waited so long,” Mr McBride said. “It’s a huge case for our county and for the citizens of this county. It rocked everybody to the core and it was a scary case.”
He added that the crime scene was one of the most brutal that he had ever seen.
“They were senselessly and brutally murdered,” Mr McBride said. “It was a bad scene. It was probably what some of our folks would probably say was one of the worst things they’d ever seen. It was gruesome. It was gory. And it was just a devastating scene to see.”
Investigators have not revealed a motive in the case and did not provide specific details explaining why Ms Vilardi and her husband are now considered suspects.
The couple made their first court appearance on Saturday and were denied bond. Their next hearing is scheduled for 20 February 2024.
