PENDLETON, S.C. – A married couple in South Carolina has been charged with four counts of murder in connection with a quadruple homicide that occurred in 2015. Amy Vilardi and Rosmore “Ross” Vilardi are accused of stabbing and shooting to death four members of their family, including Amy Vilardi’s mother, father-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and maternal grandmother.
The victims were discovered in their home on Refuge Road several days after the killings took place. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office arrested the Vilardis on Friday, after naming them as persons of interest in the case earlier this year. Sheriff Chad McBride described the crime scene as one of the most devastating and gruesome scenes his investigators had ever encountered.
During a press conference, Sheriff McBride acknowledged the hard work and effort that went into building the case against the couple. However, he refrained from providing many details about the evidence used in the arrest, expressing concern that such information could be used by the defense against the state.
The Vilardis lived on the same property as the victims, in a separate house in Pendleton. The case has shaken the community to its core, with Sheriff McBride referring to it as “brutal” and “senseless.”
The couple made their first court appearance on Saturday, where they were denied bond. They are currently being held at the Anderson County Detention Center. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will handle the prosecution of the case.
The motive for the quadruple homicide remains unclear, and law enforcement has not released further information about the case. The Vilardis are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on February 20, 2024.