(ANDERSON, SC.) Hope Phillips pled guilty in an Alford plea today in Anderson General Sessions court to Grand Larceny. The Honorable Cordell Maddox sentenced Phillips to 611 days (time served).
Phillips was originally charged with Murder, Accessory after the Fact to Murder and Grand Larceny when arrested in March of 2014 in Pelzer following a shooting that left three dead and one injured. Jared Williams, the shooter, led police on a chase through two counties following the crimes, shooting at police and finally wrecking the car that he had taken at gunpoint. Williams pled guilty in November of 2014 to three counts of Murder, four counts of attempted murder, armed robbery, grand larceny, carjacking and a weapons charge. He received three life sentences. Williams died in prison in March of this year of a drug overdose.
Phillips was originally arrested based on a surviving victim’s statement who claimed that Phillips was a willing participant in the murders. The surviving victim has since changed her recollection of events pertaining to Phillips’ involvement, leaving the State with no evidence to go forward on the murder related charges. Therefore, all charges pertaining to the murder have been dismissed. The grand larceny charge stems from Phillips involvement in taking a vehicle shortly after the murders took place.