Robbery gone wrong, killing of CCU student sends two to prison

A judge handed down prison sentences this week to two Conway men charged in the November 2015 shooting death of a 21-year-old Coastal Carolina University student.

Jordan Principe, 19, and Alfred Dunkin, 22, were both initially charged with the murder of Craig Gerard Gray Jr., a CCU student. Gray was killed in his Technology Boulevard apartment in the Conway area, according to a release from the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

When the pair was arrested, it wasn’t clear who fired the shot that ended Gray’s life. Both had gone to Gray’s apartment together that day; however, only one gun was used when an argument over marijuana broke out among them, the release states.

After a thorough investigation, police determined the men both planned to rob Gray, and that Principe delivered the fatal shots, the release says.

Principe pleaded guilty, under the terms of an Alford plea, on Monday to voluntary manslaughter before Circuit Court Judge Steven John, according to the release.

Principe was sentenced to 25 years in prison, close to the maximum of 30 years for the charge. He received credit for time served while awaiting trial after his arrest, the release says.

Dunkin pleaded guilty on Aug. 28 to accessory after the fact of murder and armed robbery before Judge John. Sentencing on the plead was carried out on Tuesday. He pleaded to lesser charges for aiding and abetting Principe in the armed robbery plan and hiding the murder weapon, the release states.

Dunkin also agreed to testify against Principe at a trial, which was scheduled for this week, the release says. After Principe decided not to go to trial and pleaded in the case, Dunkin went before Circuit Court Judge Larry Hyman on Tuesday for sentencing.

He was sentenced to 14 years on each offense, and those will run concurrently, the release says.

This story was originally published October 6, 2017 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Robbery gone wrong, killing of CCU student sends two to prison."