Police said he apparently tempted and attacked an elderly South Carolina woman, a California man who was apparently crossdressed on social media and was being held for an attempted murder, and stopped providing financial support to him.
Embermarius Zueros, 34, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree robbery, lure and attempted murder, attempted murder, attempted to terrify an 89-year-old woman.
“This guy won't see the light of the day. He'll spend the rest of his natural life in prison,” Summerville Police Chief Doug Wright said at a press conference.
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Embermarius Zueros, 34, has been accused of tempting older South Carolina women over the weekend. (Dorchester County Sheriff's Office)
Authorities said the woman was dead, saying her wrists were tied up with duct tape on Sunday, a dog tied to a leash above her ankles and a bag tied up above her head.
Police reported that Zuelos had distant online connections with the victim's brother, suspect WCIV-TV. The woman maintained her relationship with him via text and email, while providing financial aid.
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Police said Zuelos, a resident of Mission Viejo, California, was angry that she began giving money to charities rather than giving it to him. To target her, he allegedly rented an Airbnb in the area.
“This wasn't random,” Wright said. “He knew exactly who he was targeting and had plans. This is a scary example of how dangerous some of these situations can be.”
Zueros was inside the woman's house when her retired law enforcement neighbor became suspicious and rang the doorbell. Zueros gave him a fake name and said the victim was hospitalized after falling into the shower.
The Summerville Police Station was at a press conference that announced the arrest of Ember Marius Zuelos. (Summerville Police Station)
The still suspicious neighbor went to his house to grab a gun, police said. Zuelos escapes from the woman's house in her car.
Authorities later found the vehicle custody under the rear folding seat of the car's floorboards, police said. Zuelos was later arrested. The victim suffered minor injuries but was working well, Wright said.
Zuelos is being held in a local prison after being denied the bond.
US Rep. Nancy Mace, Rs.C. has scouted California Governor Gavin Newsom on social media over the incident.
“@gavinnewsom, please drive your criminal scum out of South Carolina,” she wrote to X.
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In a subsequent post, Mace said California's tolerant criminal justice policy is hurting South Carolina.
“California's policy affecting our state. This man had bonded due to an attempted murder…!” she wrote.
