Who Is Richard Spiegel?

Richard Anthony “Ricky” Spiegel was a Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, man who worked as a special education teacher’s aide at St. James High School and was arrested in August 2021 on a charge of sexual battery with a student.

Horry County police alleged that Spiegel had sexual contact with a St. James High School student at a Murrells Inlet-area gas station in 2018, while Spiegel was employed by the school. Horry County Schools placed him on administrative leave after learning about the allegation.

Public obituary records show that Richard Anthony Spiegel, 47, of Murrells Inlet died unexpectedly at his residence on February 5, 2022, less than six months after his arrest. Available reporting reviewed through September 2026 does not show that the 2021 criminal allegation resulted in a plea, trial, or conviction before his death.

Richard Spiegel Died In February 2022

Richard Anthony “Ricky” Spiegel died unexpectedly at his Murrells Inlet residence on February 5, 2022, at age 47. His obituary identifies him as having been born October 24, 1974, in Princeton, New Jersey, and connects his remembrance page with St. James High School. [Obituary]

The age, Murrells Inlet residence, name and St. James High School connection correspond with the Richard Spiegel who was 46 when Horry County police arrested him in August 2021. The obituary does not publicly state a cause of death. [Legacy]

Was Richard Spiegel Convicted?

No conviction has been identified in published reporting concerning the 2021 sexual-battery-with-a-student charge. The available arrest coverage ends with Spiegel being charged and released from jail, while his February 2022 obituary establishes that he died months later. [WMBF] [Obituary]

A review of available reporting through September 17, 2026, did not locate a report of Spiegel entering a guilty plea, being tried, or being convicted before his death. The allegation against him therefore should not be described as a proven criminal offense.

Why Was Richard Spiegel Arrested?

Horry County police arrested Spiegel on August 24, 2021, and charged him with sexual battery with a student. Spiegel was 46 at the time and lived in Murrells Inlet. [WMBF]

The investigation concerned an alleged sexual relationship involving a person who had been a student at St. James High School. The school district said it immediately contacted law enforcement after receiving the allegation. [WMBF]

What Did The Arrest Warrant Allege?

The arrest warrant alleged that Spiegel and the student engaged in sexual battery sometime between April and June 2018. According to WMBF, investigators alleged that the sexual activity occurred at a gas station along Highway 707 in the Murrells Inlet area. [WMBF]

The warrant stated that the alleged victim was enrolled as a student at the time and that Spiegel was working at St. James High School as a special education aide. [WMBF]

Where Did The Alleged Sexual Contact Occur?

Police alleged that the encounter occurred at a gas station on Highway 707 near Murrells Inlet. The warrant obtained by WMBF placed the alleged conduct between April and June 2018. [WMBF]

The publicly reported warrant did not provide a detailed account of how investigators alleged the encounter began or disclose the student’s identity.

How Did The Investigation Into Richard Spiegel Begin?

Horry County Schools said it received an allegation concerning a relationship between a former student and a school employee in August 2021. The district said administrators immediately began an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement. [WMBF]

Horry County police subsequently investigated the allegation and obtained the warrant that led to Spiegel’s arrest.

What Did Horry County Schools Say?

The school district described the allegation as highly troubling and said conduct of the type alleged would violate the public trust and the safety and welfare of students. The district also praised school officials and law enforcement for responding after the allegation was brought forward.

Those comments reflected the district’s response to the accusation and did not constitute a finding that Spiegel was criminally guilty.

Richard Spiegel Was Placed On Administrative Leave

Horry County Schools placed Spiegel on administrative leave following the allegation and arrest. He had been employed at St. James High School as a special education teacher’s aide. [WMBF]

Earlier reporting indicated that Spiegel had worked as a special education teacher assistant at the school since approximately 2014.

What Is Sexual Battery With A Student Under South Carolina Law?

South Carolina law specifically prohibits certain school employees from engaging in sexual battery with students enrolled at the school where they work. The statute applies to people affiliated with a public or private secondary school in an official capacity, including administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, teacher’s assistants, student teachers, school resource officers, bus drivers, guidance counselors and coaches. [South Carolina Code]

The law defines sexual battery to include sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal intercourse and qualifying penetration. [South Carolina Code]

What Penalty Can Sexual Battery With A Student Carry?

The potential punishment under South Carolina Code Section 16-3-755 depends in part on the student’s age and whether the school employee had direct supervisory authority over the student. [South Carolina Code]

If a school employee engages in sexual battery with an enrolled student who is 16 or 17 without aggravated force or coercion, the offense is a felony punishable by as much as five years in prison. The statute also provides felony penalties in certain cases involving students who are 18 or older when the employee has direct supervisory authority over them. [South Carolina Code]

Available news reports concerning Spiegel did not publicly disclose enough information about the student’s age or supervisory relationship to determine from those reports alone which specific penalty provision prosecutors intended to pursue.

Who Was Richard Spiegel?

Richard Anthony Spiegel was born October 24, 1974, in Princeton, New Jersey, and later lived in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. He was 46 when arrested in August 2021 and turned 47 that October. [Obituary]

At the time of the conduct alleged by police, Spiegel worked as a special education aide at St. James High School. The school is part of Horry County Schools and serves students in the Murrells Inlet area.

What Happened To The Criminal Case?

Spiegel’s death occurred before any publicly reported trial or conviction in the case. News reports from August 2021 state that he had been released from jail following his arrest. His obituary states that he died unexpectedly on February 5, 2022. [WMBF] [Obituary]

No credible published report located for this update documents a guilty plea, criminal trial or conviction between Spiegel’s August 2021 arrest and his death in February 2022.

The original version of this page, published shortly after the arrest in August 2021, therefore requires an important update: Spiegel was accused and charged, but the available public record does not establish that the allegation was ever adjudicated before he died.