What started as a neighborhood feud in South Carolina turned deadly when an elderly man allegedly stormed his neighbors’ home with an AR-15-style rifle, and the horror didn’t stop there.
Reuben Arthur Leonard, 80, is accused of forcing his way into a neighboring home in Sumter County and opening fire on April 20, 2025. Between 10 and 11 people were inside when the shooting started, according to Little things.
Among those struck by gunfire was 11-year-old Ashly McFarland. Family members fought back and tried to wrestle the weapon away from Leonard, but not before another relative was also hit. Paramedics rushed to the scene, and Ashly was pronounced dead.
Investigators believe the attack sprang from a long-simmering dispute between Leonard and the family next door. He had reportedly filed repeated complaints with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office over the neighbors’ habit of target shooting in their backyard. Authorities told him each time that it was legal, leaving them unable to step in.
That frustration may have ultimately boiled over into violence. Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe Leonard went to that home with the intent to kill everyone inside.
Killed his wife just minutes before
After his arrest, Leonard was taken to a hospital for injuries he’d suffered during the incident. While being processed by law enforcement, he allegedly confessed to something even more chilling – just minutes before the attack on his neighbors, he had killed his own wife.
Deputies went to Leonard’s home, where they found 76-year-old Felicia Leonard dead in the garage. The timeline got darker still when court records revealed Leonard had been arrested on a breach of peace charge just two days before both killings, according to People.
The Sumter School District released a statement remembering Ashly in the wake of her death: “She was a bright and joyful student who made a lasting impact on her classmates, teachers, and school community. Her passing is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
Leonard was charged with two counts of murder, seven counts of attempted murder, and a number of additional charges.
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