SHELBY, N.C.,None — The teen accused of murdering his schoolmate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has been released from jail on a $100,000 bond and placed on house arrest.
Adam Dwiggins, 18, bonded out of jail Wednesday at 7:17 p.m., according to the Horry County (S.C.) J. Reuben Long Detention Center website. Adam Dwiggins spent the last seven weeks incarcerated after he was arrested in August for allegedly stabbing 17-year-old Dalton Fitch, of Shelby.
Heather von Herrmann, assistant solicitor for South Carolina's 15th judicial circuit, said Dwiggins had a bond hearing Wednesday and a judge agreed to set the teen's bond at $100,000.
"Every defendant has a constitutional right to have a bond," von Herrmann said.
Adam Dwiggins previously appeared in a South Carolina Court and was denied bond.
Von Herrmann said the judge, before making the decision to set Adam Dwiggins' bond, heard from Dalton Fitch's family as well as Adam Dwiggins' attorney, Fran Humphries. Humphries couldn't immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Release conditions
The judge outlined several terms and conditions to Adam Dwiggins' release, which include placing Adam Dwiggins on house arrest until his case comes to trail, von Herrmann said. She said Adam Dwiggins must stay inside his grandparents' house or their yard. He is only allowed outside the property to go to a doctor's appointment or to consult with his attorney, von Herrmann said.
Adam Dwiggins' grandparents agreed to be subjected to the court's jurisdiction if Dwiggins doesn't abide by the conditions of his release, von Herrmann said. Adam Dwiggins' family could face up to a year in prison if they allow him to leave their house, von Herrmann said.
She said Adam Dwiggins doesn't have a monitoring device.
Attempts to contact Adam Dwiggins and his family Thursday were unsuccessful.
Adam Dwiggins' mother, Kathy Ledford Dwiggins, faces charges in connection with Dalton Fitch's death. Police say Adam Dwiggins stabbed Dalton Fitch at Ocean Lakes Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C., after the boys were involved in a fight. Kathy Dwiggins allegedly hindered the investigation into the stabbing, and police charged her with accessory to murder after the fact.
Kathy Dwiggins was released on a $10,000 bond on Aug. 22.
Tracy Fitch, Dalton's mother, was devastated by Adam Dwiggins' release.
"(Adam Dwiggins' family is) going to get to see him for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I'm not going to get to see my son," Tracy Fitch said.
She said she and her husband haven't been back to work since their son died nearly eight weeks ago.
"I don't know why he's even out of jail," Tracy Fitch said. "But that's not up to me."