It was late. The kind of quiet you only get in rural South Carolina when the humidity settles and the crickets finally take a break. Then, the sirens started. On the night of October 26, 2024, a massive blaze ripped through a home in Gadsden, South Carolina. This wasn't just any house. It belonged to a prominent figure in the state's legal system: Retired Circuit Court Judge G. Thomas Cooper Jr.
The flames were aggressive. They gutted the structure. In the aftermath, investigators from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division) weren't looking at an electrical short or a kitchen accident. They were looking at a crime. The South Carolina judge house fire arson investigation quickly became a focal point for a community already wary of rising crime rates and the safety of public officials.
Honestly, when a judge's home goes up in smoke, people notice. It feels personal. It feels like an attack on the bench itself. This wasn't some random act of vandalism.
Behind the Scenes of the Investigation
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Leon Lott, didn't waste any time. You’ve gotta understand how these scenes work. Arson investigators don't just look for charred wood; they look for pour patterns. They look for accelerants. Within days, they had a name: Devin Thomas.
Thomas, 28, wasn't a stranger to the system. He was facing a litany of charges, but the big ones that stuck in the headlines were second-degree arson and third-degree burglary. Think about that for a second. Breaking into a retired judge's home and then setting it on fire? That’s bold. Or desperate. Or both.
The motive is where things get kinda murky, at least for the public. While rumors swirled about whether this was a targeted hit related to Judge Cooper’s long career on the bench—he presided over some massive cases, including the high-profile Alex Murdaugh bond hearings—the official line leaned more toward a crime of opportunity that spiraled out of control. But let’s be real. When you target a judge, the "coincidence" card is a hard sell for the neighbors.
The Impact on Judge G. Thomas Cooper Jr.
Judge Cooper is a name that carries weight in South Carolina. He served the Fifth Judicial Circuit for years. He was known for being fair but firm. Imagine spending your life upholding the law, only to have your retirement interrupted by someone allegedly burning your sanctuary to the ground.
He wasn't home. That’s the only silver lining here. If he had been, we’d be talking about a potential murder investigation instead of a South Carolina judge house fire arson case. The loss, however, is more than just sticks and bricks. It’s memories. It’s records. It’s the feeling of safety that you can never quite get back once it's been torched.
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Why Arson Cases are a Nightmare to Prosecute
Arson is a weird crime. It’s one of the few where the primary evidence is literally designed to destroy itself. Fire consumes the proof. SLED’s arson team had to sift through the debris in Gadsden to find what remained. They use K-9 units—dogs trained specifically to sniff out a drop of gasoline or kerosene even after thousands of gallons of water have been dumped on a site.
In South Carolina, second-degree arson is a heavy charge. We’re talking about a felony that can carry up to 25 years in prison. If the state can prove that Thomas knowingly set that fire, his life is effectively over. But the defense always has an opening. They’ll look for gaps in the forensic chain. They’ll question the "burglary" aspect. Was there intent to burn, or was it a fire that started accidentally during a theft?
Sheriff Leon Lott has been vocal about the "brazenness" of the act. He's right. You don't see this every day. Usually, if someone wants to rob a house, they want to get in and out without being noticed. Fire does the opposite. Fire brings every fire truck in a ten-mile radius.
The Community's Reaction in Richland County
Gadsden is a tight-knit spot. It’s not Columbia. It’s the kind of place where people see a car they don't recognize and start calling around. The fact that this happened in their backyard shook a lot of residents.
- Security Concerns: Local homeowners started asking about better surveillance.
- Public Official Safety: There is a growing conversation in the statehouse about protecting judges even after they retire.
- The Murdaugh Connection: Because Cooper handled Murdaugh matters, the internet went wild with conspiracy theories. To be clear: there is zero evidence connecting this arson to the Murdaugh saga, but in the court of public opinion, the "coincidence" felt too weird for some.
Sorting Fact From Fiction
Let's clear some things up. First, the house was not "bombed." Some early social media posts claimed there was an explosion. Fire can cause small explosions—think propane tanks or aerosol cans—but this was a set fire, not a hit job with C4.
Second, Devin Thomas didn't have a personal vendetta that we know of. The investigation so far suggests he was looking for things to steal. Does that make it better? Not really. It just changes the "why."
South Carolina law is pretty specific about these things. Under Title 16, Chapter 11 of the S.C. Code of Laws, the distinction between first, second, and third-degree arson depends on whether someone was in the building and the type of structure involved. Since the house was an "unoccupied" dwelling at the exact moment of the fire, the second-degree charge is what stuck.
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Forensic Evidence in the Gadsden Fire
SLED doesn't play around. Their forensic labs are top-tier. When they processed the scene at Judge Cooper's home, they were looking for DNA on points of entry. If Thomas broke a window or forced a door, he likely left something behind.
Modern arson investigation also relies heavily on digital footprints. Did the suspect have a phone on him? Was it pinging nearby towers? In 2024 and 2025, you can't go anywhere without leaving a digital trail. That’s likely how the Richland County investigators narrowed their search so quickly. They aren't just looking at ashes; they're looking at data.
The Long Road to Justice
The legal process for the South Carolina judge house fire arson is going to be slow. That's just how the Palmetto State works. Thomas has to go through bond hearings, discovery, and eventually a trial or a plea deal.
The prosecution will have to build a narrative that explains why a 28-year-old decided that burning a judge's home was a good idea. Was it drugs? Was it a mental health crisis? Or was it just pure, unadulterated malice?
Judge Cooper, for his part, has remained relatively quiet, which is exactly what you’d expect from a seasoned legal professional. He knows the process. He knows that talking to the press can gum up a case. He’s letting the system he served for decades do its job.
What This Means for South Carolina Residents
If you live in South Carolina, this story is a wake-up call. It’s not just about "crime." It’s about the vulnerability of our institutions. When the home of a man who represented the law is targeted, it sends a ripple of anxiety through the whole state.
But it also shows that the system works. The quick arrest of Devin Thomas suggests that when you pull a stunt like this, the full weight of the state is going to come down on you. SLED, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and local fire marshals coordinated perfectly.
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Actionable Steps for Protecting Your Property
While you might not be a retired circuit court judge, the South Carolina judge house fire arson proves that property crime can escalate quickly. Here is what you should actually do to stay safe:
Install Smart Lighting and Cameras: Don't just get a Ring doorbell. Get floodlight cameras for the "blind spots" of your house. Arsonists and burglars hate light. They want the shadows.
Update Your Insurance Inventory: If the worst happens, you need a record. Walk through your house today with your phone. Take a video of everything. Open the drawers. Open the closets. Save that video to the cloud. Judge Cooper lost a lifetime of belongings; having a digital backup of your "stuff" makes the insurance claim much less of a headache.
Clear Perimeter Brush: Fire needs fuel. Keep dry brush, woodpiles, and pine needles away from your foundation. In the Gadsden fire, the intensity was fueled by the structure, but outdoor debris can make a small fire spread to the roof in minutes.
Community Watch is Real: Talk to your neighbors. In rural areas like Richland County, the best security system is a neighbor who knows what car belongs in your driveway and who doesn't.
The case of Devin Thomas and the fire at Judge Cooper’s home serves as a grim reminder that no one is truly "off the grid" from the reach of crime. However, the speed of the South Carolina legal system in identifying a suspect provides some semblance of closure for a community rattled by the smoke and sirens of that October night. Keep an eye on the court dockets in Richland County; the trial phase will likely reveal even more about the specific evidence SLED gathered from the charred remains of the Gadsden property.
Next Steps for Following the Case:
Check the Richland County Public Index periodically for updates on State of South Carolina vs. Devin Thomas. Look for "Arson - Second Degree" in the charges list to see upcoming court dates or shifts in legal counsel. If you are a resident of the Gadsden area, consider attending local neighborhood watch meetings hosted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to stay informed on local crime trends and prevention tactics.