SC v. Christopher Dontell: Coroner Affair Murder Trial

[arielilane]

CONWAY, S.C. (Court TV) — A former deputy coroner is standing trial on charges he murdered a man with the help of his mistress.

Christopher Dontell is charged with conspiracy and murder in the death of Gregory Rice, who was shot to death in 2020. At the time of his death, Rice was the father to four children with Meagan Jackson, with whom Dontell was allegedly having an affair. Jackson is facing the same charges and will be tried separately.

SC v. Christopher Dontell: Coroner Affair Murder Trial

Christopher Dontell and Meagan Jackson are charged with murdering Gregory Rice, the father of Jackson's children.

www.courttv.com

12/2/2024

Christopher Dontell (L) and Meagan Jackson are charged with the murder of Gregory Rice (C).
(Horry County Sheriff’s Dept/Horry County Police Dept.)

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson

NEW TRIAL: Former South Carolina coroner #ChristopherDontell is accused of murdering the father of his lover’s children.

Gregory Rice shared four children with Meagan Jackson, also charged in his murder.

Dontell and Jackson were having an affair at the time of Rice’s murder. The two met through work as Jackson had been employed with a company that delivered bodies to funeral homes.

Rice was reported missing in October 2020 and his body was found a month later along the Little Pee Dee River.

Dontell is charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and accessory after the fact.

https://youtube.com/live/jFa26pQVRnI?si=QSlG57OFgw_iEYVi via @YouTube


8:51 AM · Dec 3, 2024

 

[arielilane]

LIVE: Coroner Accused of Murder Trial — SC v. Christopher Dontell — Day One

https://youtube.com/live/jFa26pQVRnI?si=gmqlaT4xEdzUteSc via @YouTube

https://twitter.com/x/status/1863996173914394776

 

[nodamselindistress]

Looks like another last minute plea deal

 

[tlcya]

CONWAY, S.C. (Court TV) — A former deputy coroner accused of killing a man with the help of his mistress asked to plead guilty moments before opening statements were set to begin in his trial.
SC v. Christopher Dontell: Coroner Affair Murder Trial

 

[tlcya]

eleventh hour plea deal? If so he may be required to testify against his lover, Meagan.

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson

Well.........this trial may end in a plea even though the jury has been seated. Opening statements were about to begin when the court abruptly took a break. We're hearing #ChristopherDontell wants to plead guilty and be sentenced today.


2:15 PM · Dec 3, 2024

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson

UPDATE on #ChristopherDontell trial. He will still be on trial for Murder, Criminal conspiracy, and Conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He will plead guilty to Accessory after the fact. There will be a hearing in the morning on the plea and then there will be opening statements as the trial will continue minus that one charge.


2:34 PM · Dec 3, 2024

 

[nodamselindistress]

@cathyrusson

UPDATE on #ChristopherDontell trial. He will still be on trial for Murder, Criminal conspiracy, and Conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He will plead guilty to Accessory after the fact. There will be a hearing in the morning on the plea and then there will be opening statements as the trial will continue minus that one charge.


2:34 PM · Dec 3, 2024

Interesting. CourtTV was scrambling earlier when it looked like no trial due to a plea deal. They were going to cover the Komoroski case in SC yesterday which ended in a blind plea and this case was all they had left to cover so when it looked like Dontell was pleading out they were left scrambling. At least there will still be a trial for them to cover at this point.

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson

This trial pled out this morning. Dontell agreed to testify against co-defendant Meagan Jackson. It looks like her trial could now start tomorrow. (It's a crazy week for trials/pleas)


11:24 AM · Dec 4, 2024

 

[arielilane]

As part of his plea agreement, Dontell agreed to testify against Meagan Jackson, who is also charged with murder in Rice’s death. He will be sentenced after his testimony in that case, which has been scheduled for Feb. 10.

He faces up to 15 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and between zero and years for the accessory charge. Rice’s eldest son is also expected to give a victim impact statement at the sentencing.

https://www.wspa.com/news/christoph...racy-charges-in-2020-killing-of-gregory-rice/

12.4.2024

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Megan Jackson is expected to be in court for a continuance hearing on Tuesday at around noon, according to Tonya Root with the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Murder suspect to have continuance hearing for 2020 case

Megan Jackson is expected to be in court for a continuance hearing on Tuesday at around noon, according to Tonya Root with the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office.

abcnews4.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Her lawyer requested on Feb. 4 that the trial be continued, but the judge denied it, said Tonya Root with the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. She will now stand trial more than a month after her lover, a former county coroner, pleaded guilty for his involvement in the death of Greg Rice

Video footage shows Dontell buying a tarp, cinder blocks and zip ties on Oct. 3. There’s also video of him driving to and from the area where Rice’s body was discovered.

https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime/article299770394.html

 

[arielilane]

Christopher Dontell sentencing scheduled for Feb. 10. We shall see... moo

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson


NEW TRIAL - SC v. #MeaganJackson. Jury selection today, openings likely tomorrow. Jackson is charged with the murder of the father of her four children. They say Jackson and co-defendant Christopher Dontell were having an affair. Dontell took a plea deal in December and will testify against Jackson.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932066482688827470

 

[arielilane]

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A long-awaited murder trial in Horry County begins Monday.

After several delays, Meagan Jackson will stand trial for the death of Gregory Rice, the father of Jackson’s children.

Conway woman’s long-awaited murder trial begins Monday

A long-awaited murder trial in Horry County begins Monday.

www.wmbfnews.com

 

[arielilane]

@cathyrusson


JURY HAS BEEN SELECTED in SC v. Meagan Jackson. Opening statements tomorrow morning. ackson is charged with the murder of the father of her four children. They say Jackson and co-defendant Christopher Dontell were having an affair. Dontell took a plea deal in December and will testify against Jackson.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932172804511699289

 

[arielilane]

Defendant doodled something on her arm before being led out today. Opening statements tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1932176463127797931

 

[arielilane]

CONWAY, S.C. (Court TV) — Nearly four years after the body of Gregory Rice was found wrapped in a tarp and dumped in a South Carolina river, his ex-girlfriend, who reported him missing, is set to stand trial for his murder.

SC v. Meagan Jackson: Coroner Affair Murder Trial

Meagan Jackson is accused of plotting to kill her ex-boyfriend, Gregory Rice, with her lover, ex-deputy coroner Christopher Dontell.

www.courttv.com

6/10/2025

 

[CHEL]

Her daughter's testimony was so sad.