Judge dismisses jury hours early after defense questions witnesses’ credibility in Allen’s Food Basket double murder trial

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Two witnesses did not testify in front of a jury after the defense challenged their credibility in their findings.

Samuel Alexander Frye, 23, and Mardave Hunter, 27, are currently on trial, each charged with two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and assault of a high and aggravated nature for the Oct. 2020 fatal shootings at Allen’s Food Basket in Myrtle Beach.

Frye was also charged with accessory after the fact of murder.

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In court on Thursday, Defense attorneys, Kia Wilson and Garryl Deas objected to the prosecution’s call for a Myrtle Beach Police Department officer and an Horry County Sherriff’s Department detective.

Both of them examined and extracted cellular data from what they said is Samuel Frye’s phone.

Both witnesses said that their findings pinpoint Frye’s phone being at the location of the restaurant during the early morning shooting.

However, Attorneys Wilson and Deas objected to their testimonies in front of the jury saying they were not experts in the science of cellular data and phone towers.

Both witnesses had to testify in front of the court, without the jury, for the judge to determine if they were credible or not.

Due to the extensive process, the judge dismissed the jury early on in the day.

The judge later on overruled both objections from the defense allowing both of the witnesses to testify in front of the jury.

“I’m overruling your objection. I’ll allow him to testify because of what he’s testified,” said the judge.

It is still not clear when closing arguments will happen in this trial.

15th Circuit Assistant Attorney and Prosecutor of this case, Jim Stanko said the trial will continue into next week.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

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