A man accused of murdering his older sister in her South Carolina home made his first court appearance, during which he delivered a cryptic message.
Anthony Lopez, 39, is accused of killing his sister, Lisa Rosenzweig, 53, at her home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, near the North Carolina border.
According to Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC, police discovered Rosenzweig dead in her home on November 9, 2024, after being called for a welfare check.
Lopez was named a suspect nearly a month later, on December 6, according to WSOC. He was arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police on December 6 and extradited to South Carolina on Thursday.
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According to local CW outlet WCCB, Lopez appeared in court on Friday and spoke with the media.
“Follow God’s law and man’s law,” he says, looking directly into the camera and nodding, according to WCCB. Lopez, according to the outlet, has declined to hire an attorney and is representing himself. He could face the death penalty if convicted.
Rosenzweig was hit in the head, according to local news outlet The Herald, which cited police.
According to WSOC, a local contractor with access to Rosenzweig’s home assisted police in getting inside. Neighbors told the affiliate that they were shocked after learning about the violence.
“I’d like to know if it was an accident and not someone who came in and abused her,” Betty Taylor, who lived next door to Rosenzweig, told the station. “She did not deserve that. “She did not.”
Lopez was denied a bond. According to records, he is currently being held at York County Detention Center.
