Prosecutors drop charges against Bluffton man accused of shooting at wife in 2018
Prosecutors have dropped charges against a Bluffton man accused of threatening his wife and shooting at her in 2018, according to court records.
14th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Hunter Swanson wrote that the agency could not “prove beyond a reasonable doubt” the charges against Keith Rondrell Williams, 46, of Bluffton.
They were dropped on March 23, but the notice was filed in court on Thursday, records show.
“There was a key witness who was uncooperative, which is why we didn’t go forward with it,” said Jeff Kidd, a spokesperson for the Solicitor’s Office.
Williams was facing one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a weapon in commission of a violent crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by someone convicted of a felony.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office charged him on June 26, 2018.
Police said Williams repeatedly hit his wife before shooting at her and vowing to kill her. He left the home before police arrived and turned himself in a few days later.
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The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette newspapers are making an effort to update stories we’ve published where criminal charges were filed. Criminal charges mean law enforcement had probable cause to arrest someone, but a court decides on a person’s guilt and conviction. If our newspaper has written about a crime where charges were brought, we want to use public records to show what happened in that case. If you think a crime story featuring you or someone you know needs updating, email Sofia Sanchez at ssanchez@islandpacket.com or newsroom@islandpacket.com.
Eric Staggs, a public defender who represented Williams, said he would “not be able to comment on anything beyond what is in the public record.”
Attempts to reach Williams were unsuccessful.
Other charges for Williams stem from an arrest on March 30, 2019, near the Hilton Head National Golf Course off Bluffton Parkway.
Responding to a call about a suspicious activity, deputies alleged Williams ran from them and was found with a backpack containing a gun and several baggies of different drugs.
This story was originally published April 9, 2021 at 3:30 PM.
