Read more: Local, State, Richland County, Sheriff Leon Lott, Malverse O'neil, Samuel Days, Cold Case
Columbia, SC - Richland County deputies say they have cracked a 4-year old cold case. Sheriff Leon Lott says, earlier this week, sheriff's deputies, with the cooperation of the South Carolina Probation Pardon Parole and the New York City Police Department, arrested 36-year-old Samuel P. Days.
Lott says on November 6, 2005 Malverse O'Neil was stabbed to death inside his home in the State Park Community. Sheriff Lott says O'Neil's family found him in his living room. Investigators recovered a bloody palm print at the scene but were never able to find a match for it after four years of interviews.
However, in July 2009, the Richland County cold case squad reviewing the case interviewed O'Neil's family and friends again and heard Samuel Days' name for the first time.
Sheriff Lott says investigators determined Days was on probation on drug and burglary charges in New York and contacted officials there who provided Richland County with Days' palm print. Lott says that print matches the one found at the crime scene.
Days was extradited to Richland County and charged with murder. He is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
