Victim found dead in house fire; man confesses to murder

SUMMERVILLE — A man has confessed to murder after a victim was found dead with “suspicious” wounds in a house fire.

At around 11 am Sept. 17, officers with the Summerville Police Department responded to reports of a fire at a home on Halcyon Drive and found a deceased individual, according to a press release.

The Dorchester County Coroner’s Office has not yet released the name of the deceased victim.

The circumstances surrounding the fire and death of the victim “raised concerns,” said Summerville police Capt. Chris Hirsch.

Detectives noticed that the victim’s car was missing and put out a notice to other agencies.

Deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle and were led on a chase. They deployed tire deflation devices to end the pursuit.

Roger Lavar Smalls, 35, was arrested. After an investigation, Smalls confessed to murdering the victim found on Halcyon Drive, according to a press release.

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Smalls is currently detained at the Dorchester County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing, Hirsch said.

He faces multiple charges, including murder, first-degree arson, first-degree burglary, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and desecration of human remains.

A little more than a week prior in neighboring Charleston County, police officers responded to a house fire in West Ashley and found two individuals and evidence of Arson.

The Charleston Police Department upgraded its investigation to homicide after 82-year-old Phyllis Ogle succumbed to injuries sustained in the blaze, according to previous reporting from The Post and Courier.

Officers found Ogle and her 62-year-old son Bobby in their Seabago Drive home on Sept. 8. Bobby was pronounced dead at the scene, with coroners ruling his death a suicide.