The man accused of murdering former Riverhead Town councilman and retired police officer Timothy Buckley in South Carolina in 2016 has been indicted by a grand jury there.
Johnathan Lamar Hillary, 30, of Augusta, Georgia, has been indicted on charges of murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. A Horry County, South Carolina grand jury returned a “true bill” against Hillary on Jan. 24.
The grand jury also that day returned a true bill against Bernithia Young, 34, who was charged as an accessory after the fact in Buckley’s murder.
According to the indictment, Hillary, on or about Sept. 29, 2016, kidnapped, robbed and shot Buckley.
Buckley, 51, was reported missing the following day after disappearing from a coastal area resort where he was staying. In November 2016, police identified his remains found in a wooded area about nine miles from where he had last been seen.
Hillary and Young were taken into custody in Atlanta, Georgia in November 2016 and later extradicted to South Carolina for prosecution.
A spokesperson for the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office in Horry County, South Carolina said she expected a trial date will be set in the next six months. “It can take a couple of years for it to actually go to trial,” said the spokesperson, Tonya Root. “A lot of factors that come into play as to when a case goes to trial,” she said. “Within the first six months we should have an idea.” Root said it was not unusual for more than a year to lapse between an arrest and a true bill indictment being issued.
Buckley, formerly of Wading River, served on the Riverhead Town Police Department from 1988 to 2007, when he retired to run for a seat on the Riverhead Town Board. He was the department’s officer of the year in 2005. Buckley served on the town board from January 2008 until February 2009, when he resigned due to his wife’s illness. He later relocated with his family to South Carolina.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
