An 82-year-old woman in South Carolina has been charged with murder after deputies said she shot and killed her 81-year-old husband inside a Hilton Head Island care facility last week.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Harriet Kay Recker was taken into custody on Friday and booked into jail. She is facing charges of murder and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.
Deputies responded to reports of gunfire around 11:30 a.m. at the Preston Health Center, located on Birdsong Way in the Hilton Head Plantation community. When they arrived at a patient’s room, officers found Harriet Recker alongside her husband, Dennis Recker, who was suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite attempts to save his life, officials said Dennis Recker died at the scene. Authorities have not released further details about what may have led to the shooting or how Harriet Recker was able to bring a firearm into the health center. Investigators said the case remains active and ongoing.
According to jail records, Harriet Recker is currently being held in the Beaufort County Jail without bond. She is expected to make her first court appearance before a judge in the coming days.
The incident has raised concerns among residents in Hilton Head Plantation, a private gated community where the care facility is located. Many expressed shock that such violence occurred inside a center dedicated to patient care.
Neighbors said the couple had lived in the area for years, though little is publicly known about their background or circumstances leading up to the shooting. Authorities have not said whether staff or other patients were in danger during the incident.
The Preston Health Center, part of the Seabrook of Hilton Head retirement community, provides skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Officials with the facility have not publicly commented on the shooting but are cooperating with the sheriff’s office investigation.
While details remain scarce, the case highlights the rare but serious risk of violence in elder care facilities. Law enforcement officials said they are reviewing all evidence, including witness statements and security measures at the center, to determine exactly what happened.
For now, Harriet Recker remains in custody as the legal process moves forward. A bond hearing has not yet been scheduled. The sheriff’s office emphasized that additional information would be released as the investigation progresses.