Venomous snakes hamper Chesterfield County homicide investigation

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — Neighbors said Freddie Herman, 33, kept to himself.

Late Wednesday night, Robert Ott heard arguing, then gunfire outside Herman's home on Sam Jones Road.

"Then I heard a third shot, and it was quiet. It was just weird," Ott said.

His father walked over to the house Thursday afternoon and found Herman's body in the yard.

(Freddie Herman)

"I can't explain the look on his face when he came in and told us. He's like, ‘Call 911, he's dead over there,’" Ott said.

When deputies arrived, they found a yard strewn with junk and several empty cages and aquariums. A sign on the door warned of venomous snakes inside.

Deputies backed out of the house and waited for help after seeing dozens of reptiles inside the home. Some were dead.

Terry Ragsdale also lives next door and watched as Carolina Water Fowl Rescue workers carried them out in cages and containers.

"They were getting snakes out and they had chickens, and a bunch of turtles. He had a huge turtle," Ragsdale said.

"You just never know what’s going on right next to you."

Carolina Waterfowl Rescue sent Channel 9 a list of all the animals they rescued that included 45 turtles. Some were box turtles, painted turtles, yellow belly sliders, spotted turtles and others.

They also found a copperhead, rattlesnake, water snake, boa constrictor, rat snakes and king snakes.

Many of the animals appeared malnourished and sickly.

Outside, there were four starving pit bulls, wild hogs and chickens.

Most of the animals are now with rescue groups or under the care of a veterinarian.

Neighbors said Herman's trailer hadn't had any power since winter.

They weren't sure how he managed to live there, much less all the exotic animals.

An autopsy Friday afternoon revealed that Herman was shot twice with a shotgun, at close range.

Ott said he saw a truck pulling away after the gunfire, but it was too dark to see much detail.

Deputies said they were following good leads and looking at several possible suspects.

They wouldn't comment on a motive for the killing, or say how those potential suspects were connected to Herman.

Wildlife experts with the Department of Natural Resources were also back at the house on Friday trying to get more information about the venomous snakes and other species that Herman kept.

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