Hope Phillips, who was arrested and charged with murder and accessory after the fact in connection with a triple homicide shooting in Pelzer last year, has bee sentenced to time served. Phillips pled guilty in an Alford plea in Anderson General Sessions court to Grand Larceny. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sented Phillips to 611 days (time served).
Phillips was originally charged with murder, accesory after the fact to murder and grand larceny when arrested in 2014 following a shooting that left three dead and one injured in Pelzer. Jared Williams, the shooter, led police on a chase which ended in Piedmont following the crimes, shooting at police and fainally wrecking the car that he had taken at gunpoint.
Williams pled guilty in Nov. of 2014 to three counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, armed robbery, grand larceny, carjacking and a weapons charge. He received three life sentences. Williams died in prison in March of this year of a drug overdose.
Phillips was originally arrested based on a surviving victim’s statement who climed that Phillips was a willing participant in the murders.
According to a press release by Tenth Circuit Solicitor Chrissy T. Adams, the surviving victim has since changed her recollection of events pertaining to Phillips’ involvement, leaving the State with no evidence to go forward on the muder charges. All charges pertaining to themurder have been dismissed, Adams said.
The grand larceny charge stems from Phillips involvement in taking a vehicle shortly after the murders took place.
