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The accused mass killer in yesterday’s Green Pond Massacre in Colleton County, South Carolina will make his first court appearance this afternoon at the county courthouse in Walterboro, S.C.
Ryan Lenard Manigo, 33, is scheduled to be arraigned on one count of attempted murder sometime between 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. EDT this afternoon (Monday, July 3, 2023) in Walterboro. Colleton County magistrate Roosevelt L. Jenkins is scheduled to preside over his bond hearing.
Meanwhile, a press conference will be held at 3:00 p.m. EDT in front of the Colleton County sheriff’s office (394 Mable T. Willis Boulevard) in Walterboro “regarding the tragic events that took place on Folly Creek Lane in Green Pond on July 2,” according to a media advisory.
“Additional charges remain pending the victim’s identification and autopsy results,” a separate news release from the Colleton County sheriff’s office noted.
It is not immediately clear whether these additional charges – presumed to include six counts of murder – will be filed at Monday’s bond hearing or at a later date. Nor is it clear whether any additional details about the crime will be provided as Jenkins considers Manigo’s bond.
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At approximately 11:00 a.m. EDT on July 2, 2023, Colleton County deputies and other first responders were dispatched to 779 Folly Creek Lane in response to reports of a “structure fire.”
Six people were confirmed killed in connection with the incident. A seventh victim was also reportedly airlifted to a local hospital in the aftermath of the incident. That individual is said to be in critical condition.
Manigo has been held at the Colleton County detention center since his arrest yesterday on the attempted murder charge. In fact, the detention center released an updated booking photo of Manigo taken after his arrest yesterday …
(Click to View)
The homicide portion of this criminal investigation is being led by the office of Colleton County sheriff Guerry L. “Buddy” Hill. Agents of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are leading the arson investigation – and supporting Colleton County deputies and investigators with the crime scene.
Our audience will recall these two law enforcement agencies collaborated with the office of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson on the investigation of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh. In fact, Manigo’s bond hearing will be held in the same courtroom where Murdaugh was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison four months ago for the murder of his wife and son.
As this news outlet reported yesterday, Manigo – a butcher and landscaper by trade – has an extensive rap sheet in the S.C. fourteenth judicial circuit. That sheet includes arrests for kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary and criminal sexual conduct.
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Several of these charges have been controversially dismissed over the years by the office of embattled S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor Duffie Stone. Specifically, a 2008 burglary charge was categorized as “dismissed – not indicted.” In 2010, Manigo pleaded guilty to an armed robbery charge and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison by S.C. circuit court judge Perry Buckner. Most of that sentence was suspended, however, and Manigo spent less than three years in the custody of the S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC) – from March 31, 2011 to August 1, 2013.
He was released to probation in Colleton County.
Manigo ran afoul of the law again not long after his release – but a 2015 kidnapping charge was not prosecuted by Stone’s office and a 2017 arrest for criminal sexual conduct was listed as “no billed.”
Stone’s office is handling Manigo’s prosecution.
UPDATE | A recap of the latest developments in this tragedy …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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2 comments
Bad drugs, or pure evil??????
What is wrong with him drugs sex addiction murder to family just wrong or just mentally out of it. No need to waste tax payers money on this or Murtaugh murders. So sad