South Carolina Police Say Woman Had Insurance on 4 Slain Family Members

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A woman charged with killing four members of her family had $700,000 worth of life insurance policies taken out on the victims, a detective testified in court Monday.

After hearing the Pickens County investigator’s testimony, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to send the four charges of murder against Susan Hendricks to a grand jury.

Hendricks was arrested about a week after two of her sons, her ex-husband and her stepmother were found shot to death in neighboring homes in Liberty in October. Deputies said Hendricks tried to frame one of her sons by placing the gun used to kill all four of them on a nightstand beside his bed and leaving behind a note.

But Detective James Taylor testified no gunshot residue was found on Matthew Hendricks’ clothes or body, while residue from the firing of a gun was found all over Hendricks’ clothes. He also said the same gun was used in all the killings.

Hendricks did not speak at the hearing, but her attorney, public defender John Mauldin, said the mother embraced her son when she found him shot in the bed and moved the gun to the nightstand.

Hendricks also suffers from mental illness and was taking at least five different medications, Mauldin said.

The detective also testified that a total of nine insurance policies were taken out on the victims, including several shortly before the killings.

Prosecutors have said that Hendricks killed her family members because she wanted to collect the insurance money. They said they are considering whether to pursue the death penalty against her.