SLED: Man set blaze to kill

witness in robbery trial

EASLEY — An Easley man faces multiple felony charges — including three counts of attempted murder — after police said he tried to cause an explosion at a home to keep a witness from testifying against him in a trial last week.

Alexander Tuckey Dillard, 22, was charged with one count of third-degree arson, three counts of attempted murder, 10 counts of manufacturing a destruction device and one count of intimidation of a witness.

In addition, Alexis Jade Adams, 18, of Travelers Rest, was charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of accessory to a felony.

The investigation into a fire at a home on Maryland Avenue in Easley on June 23 led to the charges against Dillard and Adams. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) ivestigated the fire at the request of the Easley Fire Department.

According to SLED arrest warrants, police believe Dillard manufactured “numerous incediary devices” and transported them to the home, where he attempted to set fire to and cause an explosion in the home.

Three people were asleep in the home at the time of the incident, including a man who was set to testify against Dillard later that morning in an armed robbery trial stemming from a 2012 robbery at the Dollar General store on Pelzer Highway.

SLED alleged in warrants that Dillard’s sole intent in manufacturing the devices and using them at the home was to prevent witness testimony in the case.

Adams was charged because she had previous knowledge of Dillard’s intent to do harm to the witness and accompanied Dillard while he bought the items used to make the incendiary devices, according to SLED.

The two were booked at the Pickens County Detention Center, while the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case.

Dillard pleaded guilty June 24 to armed robbery and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in relation to the Dollar General robbery and was sentenced to more than 16 years total in prison, according to the 13th Judicial Circuit Public Index.

In last week’s incident, Dillard could face 15 years for the arson charge, 30 years for each attempted murder charge, two to 15 years for each count of manufacturing a destruction device and up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine for intimidation of a witness, according to SLED.

If found guilty, Adams could be sentenced to up to five years in prison or fined up to $5,000 for her conspiracy charge and could receive the same penalty as the principal felon in the case on the accessory to a felony charge.