The co-founder of Salt Life, Michael Hutto, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty on Thursday to killing his girlfriend at the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront/Palm Beaches Resort.
The New York Post wrote that Hutto shot 18-year-old Lora Grace Duncan in October 2020. However, he claimed it was an accident during a mock shooting game.
After he killed her, Hutto fled the scene to Jacksonville, leaving Duncan’s body face down on their hotel’s bathroom floor. After several days of not hearing from her, Duncan’s father used an app to track his daughter’s phone. The police found Duncan in her bathing suit with a bullet in her stomach.
Hutto was a co-founder of Salt Life, a water-based and beach clothing shop opened in 2003, according to the company. They have 21 retail stores located in California, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Florida Sheriffs Association orders new training for cold cases
The Florida Sheriffs Association shared a public presentation in Hernando County on Wednesday that a new initiative will prioritize cold cases.
The sheriffs announced the Cold Case Advisory Commission, which will participate in quarterly meetings and trainings. Each meeting consists of training topics involving cold homicide investigations.
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast explained how work toward the cases is important.
“There are a number of cases, virtually across every county in the state of Florida that are still searching for answers. And while we might not get the type of closure that family members would like to see out there … we nevertheless … go out and seek those answers to the cases,” Prendergast said.
Credits
Anchor: Matt Narvaez
Producer: Ashleigh Yuhas
Reporters: Matt Narvaez, Bailey
Wegenast, Ansley Topchik, Sam
Trezevant, Emily Ward
Teleprompter: Tahani Muhammad
Graphics: Emmy McCarthy
Video Editor: Emily Ward & Antonio
Delucca
Cameras: Sam Trezevant
Web Editor: Juron Traill
Web Managing Editors: Hannah Halili, Shae Knowles
Graduate Assistant: McKenzie Muskett
Faculty Adviser: Dr. Stephanie Anderson,
Wayne Garcia
