ROCK HILL, South Carolina (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Family and friends couldn’t contain their emotions when they discovered their loved one’s killer was safe.
Former Chester County Deputy Commissioner Evan Hawthorne is accused of beating retired Rock Hill Police Lieutenant Larry Vaughan to death in July 2021.
Investigators say Hawthorne followed Vaughan’s home.
“Fifty-five minutes later, Mr. Hawthorne is seen leaving the apartment complex with blood on his face, hands and clothing,” the 7th Circuit said.
Hawthorne claims it was in self-defense, despite his sworn testimony that Vaughan never touched him.
The victim’s sister, daughter, and members of law enforcement pleaded with the judge to deny the custody.
“He… has the opportunity and the means to be able to escape and hide,” said his sister. “His Christmas time…I spent 49 Christmases with his brother and it wasn’t enough. Please cut the ties.”
“Lieutenant. Vaughn has worked and served his community well for over 30 years. He was a great man. I can understand it, this is a man who made some decisions that night that could have been changed, but because of his actions over and over again, Come down the hallway and basically walk into his apartment,” Rock Hill Police Chief Chris Watts said. “He wasn’t invited. He just inserted himself and wasn’t moved. He was in another man’s house.This is a man who has the ability to escape and has the ability to hurt others, and it is not due to the heat of passion.There is a series of decisions that must be taken into consideration. There has been a series of actions leading up to this that cannot be done.There is a genuine concern for the safety of this community, Rock Hill and York counties, and the state … others.”
The judge said his verdict was based on several factors, including the defendant’s lack of previous record despite Hawthorne’s possible escape risk, the danger to the community, and the seriousness of the crime. Violation of these requirements will result in arrest.
This is Hawthorne’s second bail hearing. His first was in January. Currently, no trial date has been set for him.
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