Judge denies bond to duo charged in Myrtle Beach bathroom murder case
A judge denied bond for two men accused of murdering a 24-year-old in a bathroom off Ocean Boulevard earlier this week.
Sylvester Bellamy, of Georgetown, was supposed to start work as a groundskeeper for Myrtle Beach on Saturday. Instead, his accused killers were in a city jail in handcuffs and jail-issued orange jumpsuits hearing how they could face the death penalty for Bellamy's killing.
Myrtle Beach Municipal Judge J. Scott Long denied bond for Terence Isacc Blackwell and Earl Rafel Gaddis, Jr. as they face General Sessions charges. The two will have the chance to ask for bail before a circuit court judge later this summer.
Gaddis faces charges of murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, possession of a stolen pistol, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful carrying of a pistol and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Police charged Blackwell with murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, unlawful carry, and possession of a stolen pistol.
Blackwell also had a warrant from North Carolina for being a fugitive from justice and he agreed to waive extradition. But, that process likely wouldn't happen until after the Myrtle Beach charges are resolved.
The duo's charges stem from a Thursday shooting. At about 11:30 p.m., officers heard gunshots near 12th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach Police Capt. Joey Crosby said. Officers found a man, Bellamy, in the public restroom along Withers Alley with a gunshot wound. Bellamy went to the hospital, where he died a short time later from his injuries.
Police used surveillance cameras and tracked suspects who left the area. At about 12:30 a.m. police found the suspects walking with others near 29th Avenue North and Kings Highway, Crosby said. The group was detained while police investigated.
Crosby said the investigation showed the shooting was not connected to the nearby Carolina County Music Festival.
Bellamy's uncle, Cuffie Tucker, was at the hearing and said that his nephew liked basketball, football and pool. Tucker got the call that Bellamy was shot and didn't make it to the hospital before his nephew died.
"Doesn't feel it's true 'til we go to that funeral," Tucker said.
Bellamy grew up in the region, but moved to Texas, Tucker said. He returned to Myrtle Beach to work and had only been back in town for hours before his killing, the uncle said.
"He hadn't been here 12 hours," Tucker said.
This story was originally published June 9, 2018 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Judge denies bond to duo charged in Myrtle Beach bathroom murder case."