Man accused of killing Spartanburg County deputy made threats before, officials say

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A man charged with murder in the shooting death of an Upstate deputy had previous run-ins with law enforcement, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Duane Heard is accused of killing 25-year-old Deputy Austin Aldridge, who was called to a domestic incident at Heard’s home on Chaffee Road on Tuesday.

Heard remains in the hospital after an exchange of gunfire with deputies who responded after Aldridge was shot.

He has a pending criminal charge from an incident in October 2021. Deputies responded to Chaffee Road where they said Heard was blocking a post office employee in the roadway.

The mail carrier had been given a “do not deliver” notice for Heard’s address because he had trespassed at the Post Office on Blackstock Road and threatened employees there, according to an incident report from the Sheriff’s Office.

When a deputy tried to take Heard into custody for blocking the roadway, the report says he tried to pull his arms away.

He was charged with pedestrian in roadway and resisting arrest.

On Tuesday, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Heard with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection with the shooting of Deputy Aldridge.