It’s been over 2 years since former coroner was charged with murder. What’s delaying trial?

It’s been over two years since Gregory Rice, a resident in Horry County, was found dead by police officers near the Little Pee Dee river.

An Horry judge denied one of the alleged killers, former Horry County deputy coroner Christopher Dontell, bond Thursday afternoon. He appeared in court via video camera.

Dontell was arrested in 2020 in Rice’s death.

The bond hearing was rescheduled from May because Dontell’s defense attorney could not appear in court.

Dontell is facing one murder and one criminal conspiracy charge. He was originally granted bond of $62,500 in 2020.

But he violated conditions of parole and his bond was revoked in February, which the state argued as a reason to keep him in jail.

Dontell secretly met with his co-defendant, Megan Jackson, and kept in contact with her while on house arrest, an Horry County solicitor said in court.

Jackson is facing charges of murder, criminal conspiracy and unlawful conduct towards a child. She is currently out on bond, according to court records.

Defense attorney Aimee Zmroczek asked the judge to reinstate Dontell’s bond, arguing that his case has still not been put on the trial roster and his co-defendant is out on bond.

The defense team filed a motion to compel, which was heard Thursday afternoon as well. Zmroczek argued that the state was not providing enough information about the evidence presented.

“It’s not the state’s job to tell (Zmroczek) what the evidence is,” Mary-Ellen Walter, the Horry County Solicitor prosecuting the case, said.

During the state’s argument, Walter also stated that Dontell is involved in another active investigation, but no additional charges have been made against him. She also said that the defense has not provided enough evidence or elements of discover.

A trial date has not been set because matters with discovery have to be resolved first, according to the Solicitor’s office.

Ultimately, the judge granted the defense’s motion to compel to the extent that the state would have to redo electronic links to evidence for the defense.

Rice was reported missing on Oct. 5, 2020, and was last heard from on Oct. 2, according to Horry County police. Offices used dogs to search and used search warrants to try and find Rice. Rice was last seen near Flintlake Drive outside of Myrtle Beach.

Dontell continued to work as an Horry County deputy coroner after Rice went missing and before police identified him as a person of interest in the missing person case.

He was terminated from the coroner’s office on Nov. 9.

This story was originally published June 29, 2023 at 4:00 PM.