COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH)- Three men accused of running a gambling ring are expected to plead guilty to running the illegal business.
Lanny Ray Gunter II, Harry B. Benenhaley and Ronald D. Smith are charged with conduct of an Illegal Gambling Business.
The three agreed to plead guilty in a brief filed in federal court Monday.
The agreement for Gunter says he must cooperate with a federal investigation into a sports gambling ring linked to accused killer Brett Parker.
Parker is in jail awaiting trial for the murder of his wife Tammy Parker. He's also charged with killing his friend, Brian Capnerhurst.
Both were shot and killed on April 13 at Brett Parker's Irmo home in the upscale Ascot Estates neighborhood. Authorities say Parker was deep in debt and was looking to cash in on a nearly million dollar insurance policy on his wife. Investigators say Parker shot and killed his wife, Tammy, then shot Capnerhurst to make it look like the shooting was in self-defense.
Parker's attorneys say he shot Capnerhurst in self-defense after the man came to his home to collect his share of money linked to a gambling operation the men were involved in. They claim Capnerhurst tried to rob Parker, and shot his wife, prompting Parker to shoot Capnerhurst in self-defense.
No trial date in the case has been set.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH