News 12 @ 6 o'clock -- august 25, 2008

AUGUSTA, SC--Richmond County deputies say Todd Santos killed himself after they tried to arrest him on a domestic violence warrant.

Investigators say they went to the house to pick up Santos after he was accused of holding a gun on his wife and assaulting her last night. After telling Santos what he was wanted on, he then barricaded himself inside the house.

Investigators say that when they smelled gasoline coming from the inside and minutes later, Santos shot himself. They say at the time, they're not sure if one or two shots were fired but after they heard the shots, they saw smoke coming from the house and then forced their way inside the back.

When inside, they found the man dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

"We got out on the scene and the Sheriff's Department advised us they had a situation they had to take care of so we staged up until they gave us the clearance to go in."

Once the fire department was able get inside, they were able to keep the fire contained. The cause of death and the fire is still under investigation with the Richmond County Sheriff's and Fire Department. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow at the GBI crime lab in Augusta.