[SC] Deputy Investigator Downie's Double-Tragedy - Marie & Ashleigh

Marie and Ashleigh Downie

Richland County Sheriff's Investigator Terry Downie

DECEMBER 2006

A Richland County Investigator tried to run back into his burning home early Friday morning to rescue his wife and daughter, but was unable to save them... He could not get back into the home to get his wife and daughter, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. "He has literally lost everything," Lott said. It remains unclear where and how the fire started, although investigators are calling it accidental. Investigator Terry Downie, his wife, Marie, and their 17-year-old daughter, Ashleigh were asleep at about 3 a.m. when Downie heard a noise and went to investigate...

...Marie Downie, 41, and daughter Ashleigh Downie died from smoke inhalation due to carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Kershaw County Coroner Johnny Fellers. Elgin Police Chief Harold Brown said Marie Downie's husband and Ashleigh's father - Terry Downie, 63 - was able to get out of the house and survived the fire...

...Kirk Stropes, head of emergency communications for Kershaw County, confirmed Sunday (Dec. 10) that Ashleigh called 911 from inside the house moments after it started. He said that when dispatchers called back, they determined she was still inside, but disoriented from the smoke...

...Both Marie and Ashleigh Downie were active with the Richland County Sheriff's Department. Marie Downie served as the first president of the Richland County Sheriff's Department Spouses Association and Ashleigh was a member of the department's Explorers post...

...According to the report, Terry Downie did not give a statement right away because of his smoke-inhalation injuries...

...Brown said Downie is a retired investigator who is now "working back with Richland County Sheriff's Office." He said Downie called law enforcement from Richland County, who arrived at the scene along with local deputies and Kershaw County Fire Marshal Gene Faulkenberry and Sheriff Steve McCaskill...

..."The incident is still under investigation," Brown said. "Because of the deaths involved, the fire marshal and I both agreed to call SLED in to do a complete investigation, even though we're very certain there was no foul play. We have no reason to think (there) is, but because of the fatalities, naturally we will investigate it fully."...

Marie and her brother

Marie Downie's MySpace page

The song that Marie had playing on her Myspace page is no longer playing through the page's music player because it's been "deleted by the artist" (Myspace-lingo), but at the time of her death the song she had playing there was "Unappreciated."

[From Lyrics] I'm feeling really unappreciated. You're takin` my love for granted, babe. I don't know how much more, I can take from you. You don't do the things you use to do... And lately I've been feeling, feeling unappreciated... You're takin' my love for granted, babe. I don't know how much more, I can take from you... Lately our house is not a home. You come in, take a shower, then say I'm gone. What am I to do when my heart says leave but my feet won't move?... I'm trying hard to give you another chance but ooh baby I'm feeling really unappreciated.... I don't know how much more, I can take from you... I still don't understand why you treat me like you do. I use to give in to your lust but now I see the truth. Oh no I don't want to hear it. I'm through...

Ashleigh's MySpace page ~*~I ♥ Brandon~*~ "~*.`i WiLl LoVe YoU tIlL tHe DaY tHaT i DiE.`.*

...Kershaw County Deputy Phil McCloud arrived first, within 3 minutes. According to the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office incident report, when McCloud arrived, the "house was fully involved by fire. (Terry Downie) was in his front yard stating that there (were) family members still inside of the residence." The report goes on to state that "Deputy McCloud made every attempt to rescue the trapped victims inside the residence; due to the severity of the fire, (he) could only control the area"... McCloud then sustained minor injuries trying to get Marie and Ashleigh Downie out of the burning home...

...The young men helping to carry her casket were fellow explorers... Ashleigh was a senior at Lugoff-Elgin High School and also attended the Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC), where she was named December Student of the Month in Health Science Technology...

...Kirk Stropes, head of emergency communications for Kershaw County, confirmed Sunday (Dec. 10) that Ashleigh called 911 from inside the house moments after it started. He said that when dispatchers called back, they determined she was still inside, but disoriented from the smoke. "My folks did everything they could possibly do to get her to get out of the house," said Stropes. "This is one of the bad parts of the job. It's really hit everyone hard." Stropes said McCloud pounded on the home's windows, trying to locate Ashleigh...

...Downie prepared a speech, which the associate pastor read. In it, Downie remembered Marie as a devoted wife always there to help anyone in a time of need.... Ashleigh was just like her mother, many said she was a miniature Marie, he wrote. She went overboard in helping others...

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder south carolina state politics usur unsolved unresolved]