Family Sues Horry County, Accusing Police of Shielding Men Who Killed Scott Spivey

The family of 33-year-old insurance adjuster Scott Spivey has filed a 44-page federal lawsuit accusing Horry County police of concealing evidence, coaching witnesses and mishandling his remains to protect the two men who shot him on Sept. 9, 2023. The complaint, filed Sept. 8, names more than a dozen current and former law-enforcement officials, including former Horry County Police Chief Joseph Hill and former deputy chief Brandon Strickland.

What the Complaint Alleges

The suit alleges a coordinated effort by Horry County officers to steer the investigation in a way that favored North Myrtle Beach businessman Weldon Boyd and his friend Bradley Williams, who pursued Spivey for miles and then exchanged gunfire with him on Camp Swamp Road near Loris. Boyd and Williams claim self-defense; neither has been criminally charged.

Key allegations include:

• Improper evidence handling: officers allegedly failed to secure Spivey’s truck, which the family says allowed drugs to be planted, and they did not seize a tablet belonging to Boyd that may have contained video of the incident.
• Mistreatment of Spivey’s remains: the complaint says Spivey’s body was transported inside his truck for more than 20 miles and was filmed being violently jostled; officers allegedly discussed concealing that footage.
• Improper command influence: the family alleges a Sept. 11, 2023, command-level meeting coordinated an investigative approach intended to protect Boyd and Williams, and that certain officers were "handpicked" to produce a uniform narrative.
• Improper personal relationships: recorded calls introduced in prior civil litigation allegedly show close ties between Boyd and Strickland, including Strickland telling Boyd he "was taken care of," offering to contact supervisors and even offering Boyd a personal or surplus firearm while Boyd’s guns were in police custody.

Legal and Procedural Developments

A South Carolina judge recently declined to reconsider a ruling that denied Boyd and Williams protection under the state’s Protection of Persons and Property Act (commonly called the "stand your ground" law). After a four-day hearing, Circuit Court Judge Eugene "Bubba" Griffith found the men failed to prove statutory protection, criticized Boyd’s credibility and noted Williams’s admissions that he deleted Facebook messages and supplied false information to police.

Public Response and Calls for Reform

The case has amplified calls for major reform of Horry County law enforcement. Jennifer Foley, Spivey’s sister and representative of his estate, has urged dissolving the county police department and consolidating it under Sheriff Phillip Thompson. Recent polling commissioned by the sheriff’s campaign found broad public support for an elected law-enforcement head and for consolidation, though fewer than half of respondents said they were aware of the Spivey shooting.

Ongoing Investigations

The State Grand Jury continues a criminal probe into potential police misconduct related to the 2023 investigation. The probe will also review whether the S.C. Attorney General's Office was correct not to bring criminal charges against Boyd and Williams. On June 8, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conducted a search of Boyd’s home and his North Myrtle Beach restaurant, Buoys on the Boulevard; authorities have not disclosed the specifics of that search.

Named Defendants

In addition to Hill and Strickland, the federal complaint names Horry County and at least a dozen other current or former officers, including Alan Jones, Damon Vescovi, Kerry Higgs, Daniel Spencer, Mark Johnson, Randall Ghent, Doug Dishong, Matthew Stephenson, Greg Lent, Mick Kathman and John Sotile.

County spokesman Thomas Bell declined to comment on pending litigation. The Spivey family’s attorney, Mark Tinsley, said the complaint speaks for itself. The federal suit includes claims of constitutional violations and emotional harm to Spivey’s relatives, who say they were repeatedly forced to challenge the conduct of the law-enforcement agency entrusted to investigate his death.