NEWBERRY — Curtis Brian Varner, 58, of 1315 Milligan Street pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with a credit of 410 days — as sentenced by Judge Frank Addy Jr.
As previously reported by this publication, on July 8, 2018, Varner was charged by the City of Newberry Police Department with the murder of his wife, Cathy E. Varner. Back in 2018, officers with the Newberry Police Department responded to the above address on a welfare check. Once on scene, officers found an unresponsive victim.
Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece said the autopsy conducted concluded that Varner died of multiple blunt force injuries as a result of a beating. Kneece also estimates that the victim died on Friday, July 6, 2018. She determined the manner of death to be a homicide.
During the time of the investigation, Chief Roy McClurkin, City of Newberry Police Department, said officers had been called to the residence in the past for disturbance calls.
Solicitor David Stumbo, Eighth Judicial Circuit, said based on all of the unique facts and circumstances in this case, as well as other problematic evidentiary issues, a jury returning with a not guilty verdict was a strong possibility.
“The defendant has a long history of documented alcohol abuse and will spend the next 12 years in prison, which quite frankly with his age and physical condition could end up being the equivalent of a life sentence. My prosecutors along with our law enforcement partners preferred this result to the defendant walking out of the courtroom a free man,” Stumbo said. “I am fully confident that this case was resolved in an appropriate manner to achieve some measure of justice for the victim, and my office commits to continue battling the scourge of domestic violence in our community.”