In Richland County, South Carolina, a harrowing case has emerged involving the alleged murders and acts of cannibalism by Marc-Anthony Cantrell, a resident at a mental health facility. Cantrell, 26, is accused of killing two fellow patients, 22-year-old Jared Ondrea and 35-year-old Deshea Butler, at the Harper Street group home in Columbia during 2023. The facility, operated by New Hope Home Solutions LLC, along with its owner Brittany Reynolds-Jackson and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH), now faces a lawsuit filed by Ondrea’s grandmother, Peggy Ondrea, alleging gross negligence and wrongful death.
The lawsuit details that Cantrell, who has a documented history of violent behavior, including arson and animal cruelty, was placed in the facility despite his criminal background. In 2018, he confessed to setting his grandmother’s house on fire to conceal the killing of the family’s three dogs. Despite this, Cantrell was housed alongside vulnerable adults at the Harper Street facility.
In March 2023, Jared Ondrea was reported missing from the facility. Months later, in July, Butler also disappeared, and his body was subsequently discovered near the group home. Upon investigation, Cantrell confessed to both murders, providing graphic details, including claims of cannibalizing parts of the victims. He allegedly stated that he consumed their ears and drank Butler’s blood over several days, actions he attributed to directives from an alternate personality.
The lawsuit asserts that New Hope Home Solutions misrepresented the nature of their facility, failing to disclose that it served as a halfway house for individuals with criminal histories. Ondrea’s family believed they were placing him in a safe environment tailored for individuals with mild to moderate mental illnesses, as recommended by SCDMH. The suit alleges that the facility’s negligence and lack of proper oversight led to the tragic deaths of Ondrea and Butler.
Currently, Cantrell is incarcerated, serving a sentence for prior arson convictions, with a release date set for October 2031. The murder charges related to Ondrea and Butler are pending trial. The lawsuit seeks accountability from New Hope Home Solutions, Reynolds-Jackson, and SCDMH for their roles in the events leading to Ondrea’s death.
