Suspect says not flight risk, seeks freedom to Suwannee County
WEST PALM BEACH — A Wellborn millionaire manslaughter suspect is looking to be released from jail once more.
After a Palm Beach County judge revoked his bond Tuesday, a hearing has been set for 8:30 a.m. Monday to consider setting a new bond. Troy Hutto’s attorneys filed a motion Tuesday afternoon requesting bond along with additional conditions, such as an electronic ankle monitor.
“The reason for this request is simple: Mr. Hutto is not a flight risk,” Donnie Murrell, one of Hutto’s attorneys, wrote in the motion. “He has proven that. He has strong family and economic ties to Florida.”
Hutto was taken into custody Tuesday morning in the courtroom during the hearing to revoke his bond. According to the filing, he had attempted to surrender at the Palm Beach County Jail in the early morning hours Tuesday and waiting there until the hearing.
Hutto’s original bond, which was revoked by Judge Cymonie Rowe, was $250,000 for the case involving the October 2020 shooting death of Lake City teen Grace Duncan in a Singer Island hotel. Hutto, 56, has been charged with manslaughter for the shooting.
Murrell is requesting Rowe set the new bond at just $15,000 as “a large monetary surety bond will only benefit the bondsman, it will not project the public in any way, shape or form.”
In addition to the bond, Hutto’s attorneys request the consideration of an electronic ankle monitor to track his whereabouts at all times — the state mentioned the possibility of an ankle monitor as a condition when it sought to revoke his bond following stalking allegations. Additionally, Hutto is willing to report to the Suwannee County DOC probation office weekly if necessary.
“Mr. Hutto would also agree to any other terms and conditions of release the Court should require,” Murrell wrote.
Hutto’s bond was revoked after Suwannee County Judge Lin Williams granted two women injunctions for protection in October against Hutto for stalking.
The women — Lisa Powers and Autumn Howell — both work at the Lake City gym where Duncan worked out and Hutto was a member. Rowe said both also were state witnesses in the manslaughter case.
“The court finds that defendant is intimidating witnesses in these proceedings and otherwise obstructing the judicial process by stalking witnesses in these proceedings,” Rowe wrote in an order dated Monday to revoke bond, further stating that Hutto violated the terms and conditions of his pretrial release in doing so.
“Because the court finds that defendant is obstructing the judicial process by stalking witnesses, the court further finds that no conditions of release will reasonably prevent the obstruction of the judicial process.”
The petitions for restraining orders were filed by both women in March 2021. Temporary injunctions had been in place since as hearings were delayed multiple times.
Powers also filed for protection against stalking from Hutto in December 2020 after he allegedly threatened to kill her during an October 2020 phone call. That petition, though, was denied within days for failing to allege facts sufficient to support the injunction.
Hutto is the co-founder of the popular Salt Life logo and brand. The brand was sold to Delta Apparel in 2013 for $15 million in cash as well as two promissory notes worth $22 million.
That same year Hutto purchased 21 acres of property in Wellborn.
He is no longer affiliated with the company.