Man confesses to murder after suspicious fire in Summerville house: police

SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCIV) — One person is dead and a suspect is in custody after a suspicious fire at a Summerville residence on Tuesday.

Roger Lavar Smalls, 35, confessed to the man's murder, according to Summerville police. Officers responded to the structure fire on Halcyon Drive around 11:05 a.m. Tuesday.

When they arrived at the scene, they found the dead person inside the house. The victim had suspicious wounds and the circumstances of the fire were of concern, police said.

READ MORE | “Summerville Police Investigating 'Suspicious Fire' and Possible Arson on Halcyon Road”

Investigators determined that the victim's vehicle was no longer in the residence. Police directed other agencies to look for the victim's vehicle.

According to police, Charleston County officers quickly located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit. The pursuit ended when officers successfully placed spike barriers on the vehicle, causing it to crash into a tree on River Road on Johns Island.

READ MORE | “Charleston County Sheriff's Office ends chase on Johns Island with nail barriers”

The Dorchester County Coroner's Office has not yet identified the murder victim.

Online jail records show that Smalls has been incarcerated at the Al Cannon Detention Center eight times since 2011 on various charges.

In 2022, Smalls was charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, first-degree assault and failure to stop for a blue light, according to jail records.

Summerville Police Chief Doug Wright, along with Moncks Corner Police, will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday morning.