Forest Acres police identify two people who died in a domestic violence case
A woman and man are dead following a domestic violence incident at a South Carolina home, according to the Forest Acres Police Department said Friday.
Officers have identified the two people involved. The victim was 53-year-old Annie Christinal Pushpanathan who was found dead from an apparent gun shot wound, according to Forest Acres Police.
The suspect has been identified as Kenneth Dwain Benton, 67, of Forest Acres.
At about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a home in the 3000 block of Barnes Springs Road, police said in a news release Wednesday. That’s in the Forest Acres area of Columbia, between Two Notch Road and North Trenholm Road.
The officers were making a welfare check at the home after getting a call from a concerned family member, according to the release.
Minutes after the call officers were at the home, where they discovered that the entrance was blocked and they forced their way inside, police said.
Inside, officers found the body of a dead woman, according to the release. The woman has since been identified as Pushpanathan.
Pushpanathan’s official cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Richland County Coroner’s Office.
Also in the home, officers encountered a man who is suspected of killing Pushpanathan, police said.
Hostage negotiators made contact with Benton and were able to talk him into surrendering in under an hour, according to the release.
Once in custody, it was discovered Benton was injured, which is believed to have occurred before officers arrived on scene, police said. Benton was taken to an area hospital for treatment. He died from his injuries Thursday, May 28, 2026, according to the release.
No other injuries were reported.
Preliminary evidence indicates the incident was likely a murder-suicide, but the investigation is still ongoing, officials said.
There have been no recent calls to the property, according to the Forest Acres Police Department, but records indicate officers previously responded to five complaint calls for service at the residence between 2015 to 2021. While there was not enough evidence to prosecute in any case, each of them were provided resources for help, which they declined, according to the release.
Information about what happened between the woman and man was not available, but police said they’re continuing to investigate.
“This is a heartbreaking situation and a tragic reminder of the devastating impact domestic violence can have on families and communities,” Police Chief Don Robinson said in the Friday release. “Domestic violence situations are often complex and dangerous, and we encourage anyone experiencing abuse or warning signs to seek help before situations escalate to violence.”
Police said help is available to anyone experiencing domestic violence. Contact Sistercare at 803-765-9428 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 9:11 AM.
