Husband dies, wife wounded

Authorities are trying to unravel a fatal domestic violence incident that occurred in the Wescott Plantation subdivision where a husband apparently tried to kill his wife before turning the gun on himself.

She survived a gunshot wound to the head, while he allegedly walked a few feet away and took his own life by firing the weapon at himself.

The Dorchester County Coroner's Office identified the dead man Sunday as Grayland Keith Eddinger, 49, of Cherry Blossom Drive in Wescott, the sprawling subdivision that is within the North Charleston city limits but also in Dorchester County.

The woman who survived the shooting was identified as Therese Eddinger. Her age was not immediately available. She was transported to the Medical University hospital, authorities said.

Her condition was not known late Sunday night.

Police responded to their home in a quiet residential area at about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The presence of so many emergency vehicles arriving all at once stunned neighbors who said children preferred to play in the area because of its minimal traffic.

The couple apparently had lived in the area for several years, moving from one house on the same street, to rent another. Several neighbors also said they'd never seen any incidents of violence pass between the couple before Sunday.

Matt Brooks, who lives two doors down from the crime scene, said he knew Eddinger only as Keith. "He's a nice guy. He always stopped and said 'hi,' " Brooks said.

Other neighbors said Eddinger liked to work in his garage and that they thought his wife worked as a professional nurse.

Dorchester County Coroner Chris Nisbet said the apparent sequence of events indicates the woman was shot once in the side of her head, in a bathroom. Eddinger then walked off and turned the gun on himself.

Eddinger has a brother who lived in the house with the couple and witnessed what happened, Nisbet said.