Murder Suspect Arrested Trying to Escape from Home

Kershaw County (WLTX) -- Kershaw County Sheriff's officers Thursday afternoon have arrested a 43-year-old Kershaw County man they say shot and killed another early Thursday morning.

Kershaw deputies arrested Michael Hough, after finding him about a half-mile away from 420 Calvert Drive near Bethune, where they say the deadly shooting happened.

Investigators charged Hough with murder, a violation of probation and resisting arrest.

Deputies received a call at about 1:04 a.m. Thursday, and arrived to Calvert Drive to find the body of 41-year-old Francis Horton lying next to the roadway.

Investigators say Horton died from a gunshot wound to the chest, after Hough shot him with a handgun.

"News travels fast out here and so they've(the public's) been anxious and nervous and scared, and I'm sure they'll be glad to know we've got them in custody," Captain David Thomley of the Kershaw County Sheriff's Department.

Now, investigators are looking for a motive.

"We did find drugs, it could have been a drug deal, can't rule that out, can't say for sure at this point," says Thomley.

Deputies also arrested Ricky Hough, Michael's brother, charging him with accessory after the fact. Deputies say he helped drag Horton's body from a nearby house to the roadway. Another man, Rodney Boskins, is also charged with accessory after the fact.

Hattie Caldwell lives near the house where this all happened.

"Eventually, the name of the person that did the shooting finally came up in conversation and I just know everybody was a little uneasy," says Caldwell.

"It really does make me sad because my main concern his(Michael Hough's) parents," Caldwell says. "They've gone through a lot, and they're older, and they really don't need this on them."