Full Name: Gregory Vincent Rice

Date of Birth: October 13, 1973

Date of Death: October 2020

Age at Death: 46, based on court filings

Place of Residence: Horry County, South Carolina

Occupation: Rice worked in construction and maintenance and was known for his strong work ethic and devotion to his children.

Gregory’s disappearance in early October 2020 sparked a multi-week search. His body was discovered on November 8, 2020, in the Little Pee Dee River, wrapped in a tarp and weighed down with a cinder block. His death was ruled a homicide, and Meagan Jackson, along with former Horry County deputy coroner Christopher Dontell, was later arrested and charged in connection with his murder.

Gregory Rice’s tragic death became central to one of Horry County’s most high-profile criminal cases. His family continued to seek justice and remember him as a loving father whose life was taken far too soon.

November 2019

• Meagan Jackson’s 16-year relationship with Gregory Rice collapsed.
• That same month, Jackson’s mother died suddenly. She had been set to co-sign a home purchase for Jackson in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
• According to her half-brother Shawn Harju, Jackson’s life spiraled. She became essentially homeless and her demeanor changed.

Late 2019 to 2020

• Jackson began a romantic affair with married deputy coroner Christopher Dontell.
• The two met through work, as Jackson was subcontracted to the Horry County Coroner’s Office to transport bodies.
• The exact start of the affair is unclear, but by fall 2020, they were intimately involved.
• Jackson became pregnant with Dontell’s child.

October 2, 2020

• Gregory Vincent Rice, 46, father of four, was last seen by friends leaving work around Flintlake Court in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
• Evening: Dontell and Jackson went to Lewis Ocean Bays Heritage Preserve to practice shooting, then went to dinner.
• Jackson asked to visit Rice and had Dontell drive her in her work van to Rice’s Arrowhead apartment.
• Jackson exited the van, approached Rice, and began shooting at him, according to Dontell.
• Dontell later testified that Jackson ordered him to load Rice’s body into the van.
• The body was taken to the Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and stored in a cooler.

October 3, 2020

• Surveillance video later showed Dontell purchasing a tarp, zip ties, cinder blocks, and ratchet straps at Lowe’s.
• Those items were later found with Rice’s body or tied to the body disposal evidence.

October 5, 2020

• Meagan Jackson reported Gregory Rice missing to police.
• Horry County authorities launched a missing person investigation. Source
• Bloodhounds and search teams canvassed several locations, including river access points.
• Early searches included areas around Highway 378 and the Little Pee Dee River.
• Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard was formally briefed by Horry County Police Department on Rice’s disappearance.
• Willard was informed that Deputy Coroner Christopher Dontell would be questioned in relation to the investigation.
• Permission was granted for law enforcement to examine Dontell’s county-issued phone and vehicle.

Mid October 2020

• As a result of the investigation, both Dontell and Jackson were identified as suspects in the disappearance and murder of Gregory Rice.

October 23, 2020

• Chris Dontell was informed by Horry County Police Department that he was officially under investigation in the disappearance of Gregory Rice.
• He was immediately suspended from the Horry County Coroner’s Office, denied access to county property, and removed from the call schedule.

November 8, 2020

• Early Morning: Two fishermen discovered Rice’s body in the Little Pee Dee River near Highway 378 on the Horry-Marion County line.
• The body was wrapped in a blue tarp, zip-tied, and weighed down with cinder blocks.
• Autopsy later revealed five gunshot wounds as the cause of death.

November 9, 2020

• Dontell was terminated from the Horry County Coroner’s Office.

November 11, 2020

• 11:00 AM: Both Jackson and Dontell were arrested after authorities analyzed phone records, license plate reader data, and witness statements. Source
• Police confirmed the affair between Jackson and Dontell and noted Jackson was pregnant with Dontell’s child.
• Arrests: Meagan Jackson, Rice’s ex-girlfriend, and Christopher Dontell, her then-boyfriend and a deputy coroner, were arrested.
• Charges: Murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.
• Both Dontell and Jackson were transported to J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

November 12, 2020

• A search warrant was executed at Jackson’s home.
• Police found children locked in rooms with padlocked windows and battery-disabled electronic locks, according to the case material.
• Records alleged the children were forced to urinate in jars.

November 19, 2020

• Child neglect charges were filed after the search warrant executed at Meagan Jackson’s residence uncovered evidence related both to Rice’s disappearance and alleged child neglect. Warrant
• Location: 218 Rivers Edge Drive, Conway, Horry County, South Carolina.
• Defendant: Meagan Jackson.
• Charges: Neglect of a child or helpless person, multiple counts.
• Victim Details: Jackson is the mother of multiple minor children, including three youngest children referenced in the report.
• One child was reportedly 13 years old and weighed only 50 pounds at the time.
• Locked Bedrooms: The three youngest children were allegedly locked inside their rooms using electronic locks.
• Batteries were removed from the locks, disabling any internal override.
• No interior doorknobs were installed on the inside of the bedroom doors.
• Only a keypad code, which the children did not know, could open the doors.
• Because the children were locked in without access to a bathroom, records alleged they were forced to urinate inside their bedrooms using available containers.
• Jackson allegedly installed small padlocks on the bedroom windows and manipulated the window slide tracks to prevent them from opening.
• One child disclosed to authorities that she was only fed once per day.
• Bail Hearing: Meagan Jackson was given a $100,000 bond and ordered to GPS monitoring and home detention.
• Bail Hearing: Christopher Allen Dontell was granted a $125,000 surety bond with conditions requiring no contact with Meagan Jackson.

Disappearance and Early Investigation

• October 2, 2020: Rice left work and was last seen alive around 8:00 PM in Conway, South Carolina.
• October 3, 2020: Dontell was seen on surveillance footage purchasing a tarp, zip ties, concrete blocks, and a tow strap at Lowe’s.
• October 4 to 5, 2020: Meagan Jackson reported Rice missing. Police began searching and noted inconsistencies in Jackson’s statements.
• October 6, 2020: Phone and vehicle tracking evidence began to show coordination between Jackson and Dontell.
• October 12 to 20, 2020: Police obtained surveillance and license plate reader footage showing Jackson and Dontell traveling together in Rice’s last known hours.
• October 23, 2020: Dontell was suspended from the Horry County Coroner’s Office.

Body Discovery and Forensics

• November 8, 2020: Two fishermen discovered Rice’s decomposed body in the Little Pee Dee River, wrapped in a tarp and weighed down with cinder blocks.
• November 9, 2020: Autopsy revealed five gunshot wounds. The case was officially ruled a homicide.
• November 10 to 11, 2020: Dontell and Jackson were arrested and charged with murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.
• November 19, 2020: A search warrant at Jackson’s home revealed evidence tied to alleged child neglect, including children locked in rooms and additional neglect-related allegations.

Surveillance and Digital Evidence

• Investigators recovered Lowe’s surveillance footage showing Dontell purchasing items later tied to body disposal, including tarps, zip ties, and cinder blocks.
• License plate reader data and GPS data placed Jackson and Dontell together at critical intervals.
• Through surveillance and cell phone records, investigators alleged Dontell and Jackson were together around the time Rice was killed.
• At the time of the murder, Jackson was pregnant with Dontell’s child.
• Dontell worked closely with Jackson in the death-care industry transporting and processing remains for funeral homes and the coroner’s office. Source

Investigative Impact

• Forensic science: Investigators tied together physical purchase evidence and body concealment materials.
• Digital tracing: Phones, GPS records, and license plate readers were used to place suspects in time and space.
• Cooperating co-defendant framework: Dontell’s plea deal was used to build the prosecution’s narrative against Jackson.

2021 to 2023, Pretrial Proceedings

• Investigators gathered evidence including surveillance footage of Dontell purchasing tarp, zip ties, and cinder blocks.
• Cellphone location data, license plate reader data, and witness statements were used to place Jackson and Dontell at key locations.
• Multiple delays occurred due to COVID, case complexity, and legal motions.

June 29, 2021, Meagan Jackson Files Civil Lawsuit

• While out on bond, Meagan Jackson filed a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a car accident on October 28, 2020, just weeks after the alleged murder of Gregory Rice.

September 2021, Bond Revocations for Both Defendants Source

• Christopher Dontell: His bond was revoked after it was discovered he continued communicating with co-defendant Meagan Jackson in violation of bond conditions.
• Meagan Jackson: Her bond was revoked due to multiple violations of home confinement terms.
• GPS tracking showed visits to retail establishments and unauthorized locations despite court orders restricting movements to employment, medical appointments, court appearances, and attorney meetings.

May 2022

• Christopher Dontell filed a motion seeking bond reconsideration. Judge Jocelyn Newman denied the motion, citing no change in circumstances and the seriousness of the charges. Source

June 29, 2023

• New bond hearing for Dontell was denied again. Judge Benjamin Culbertson reaffirmed that no new evidence or change in status justified release. Source

July 28, 2023, Meagan Jackson Sold Her House

• Jackson sold her residence at 218 Rivers Edge Drive, Conway, South Carolina, according to public property records. Source

November 13, 2023

• Court filings or investigative notes indicate Jackson used $35,000 as a down payment on a vehicle instead of supporting her children. Source

December 4, 2024, Plea Deal by Christopher Dontell

• Christopher Dontell pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and accessory after the fact to murder.
• The murder charge was dropped in exchange for cooperation and testimony against Meagan Jackson.
• Dontell admitted to helping dispose of Rice’s body and buying the materials used in the concealment.
• Sentencing was postponed until after Jackson’s trial.

February 10, 2025, Trial Delayed

• The original trial date was postponed after Meagan Jackson’s defense attorney, who also served as a state legislator, invoked protections under South Carolina’s legislator shield law.
• Judge William H. Nettles postponed the trial to no earlier than June 1, 2025.

June 5, 2025

• Final trial date confirmed for June 9 in Horry County Circuit Court.

June 9, 2025, Jury Selection

• About 300 jurors were summoned.
• A pool of 70 was narrowed to 12 jurors and 4 alternates.

Day 1, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Opening Statements and First Witnesses

• Prosecution, Leigh Waller: Called Meagan Jackson a “master manipulator” who lured Rice to his death and covered her tracks using Christopher Dontell.
• Defense, Case Brittain: Blamed Dontell, said Jackson had no motive, and highlighted that Dontell pleaded guilty to avoid a murder charge.
• Savannah Rice, daughter: Testified to family turmoil, infidelity, and her father’s disappearance.
• She claimed Jackson once said during a drunken rant, “I hope what happened to your dad happens to your sister.”
• She recalled overhearing her mother and Dontell having sex.
• Law enforcement evidence: Cell phone records showed the last ping of Rice’s phone matching Jackson and Dontell’s phones traveling together.
• Surveillance video: Showed Dontell at Lowe’s with a cart containing zip ties, tarp, and cinder block.

Day 2, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Phone Data Analysis and Timeline Reconstruction

• Phone analysts testified about the timeline constructed using call history, text history, and GPS.
• Jackson and Dontell were seen together at a restaurant and nature preserve before Rice’s death.
• Rice’s phone ceased activity at 11:06 PM on October 2, 2020.
• All three phones, Jackson, Dontell, and Rice, were present near the funeral home before Rice’s phone went dark.
• October 3: Dontell bought what prosecutors described as a body disposal kit, including zip ties, tarp, and cinder block.
• October 4: Dontell’s phone pinged near the Pee Dee River, the body dump location.

Day 3, Thursday, June 12, 2025, Autopsy, Affair Testimony, and Confession

• Dr. Susan Presnell, forensic pathologist: Performed the autopsy before Rice was identified.
• Rice had 5 to 7 gunshot wounds, including one to the head and one to the chest, both potentially fatal.
• Erica Dontell, Christopher’s wife: Described her friendship with Jackson, neighborhood proximity, and being blindsided by the affair.
• She said she received anonymous texts revealing the pregnancy and affair.
• Ken Marcus, Horry County Police Department: Confirmed geolocation and cell-tower data placing Jackson and Dontell together the night of the murder.
• Marcus affirmed Rice was texting Erica anonymously about the affair.
• Christopher Dontell, co-defendant: Testified in shackles after pleading guilty to accessory and conspiracy.
• Dontell said he was afraid of Jackson.
• He claimed Jackson shot Rice from the van and forced him to help move the body.
• He described taking Rice to the funeral home cooler, then dumping the body in the river after buying materials.
• Dontell apologized to Savannah Rice in open court.

Dontell Testimony

Christopher Dontell, a former Horry County deputy coroner and co-defendant, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and accessory after the fact in December 2024. At the time of the crime, Dontell and Jackson were having an affair. They met at work, as both worked as body transporters for several years. Dontell became a coroner in 2020.

• Dontell admitted to dumping Rice’s body after Jackson shot him.
• Dontell testified that Jackson allegedly shot Rice the night of October 2, 2020.
• Dontell dumped the body in the Little Pee Dee River either late October 3 or early October 4, 2020.
• Fishermen found Rice early November 8, 2020.

Dontell testified that Jackson threatened to kill him if he ever told anyone what he saw that night. He said he lied to law enforcement for years because he was afraid Jackson would kill him or his family, and that he told the truth after his lawyer arranged protection for his family.

Day 4, Friday, June 13, 2025, State Witness, Digital Forensics

• Lt. Benjamin Wells, digital crimes expert, Horry County Sheriff’s Office: Extracted data from Jackson’s iPhone XS Max.
• Text thread with Dontell: Jackson wrote about sabotaging Rice’s car, including “ready for him to suffer a popped tire or cut brake lines.”
• Anonymous email to Erica: Ten images showing pregnancy and affair originated from Jackson’s phone minutes before the email was sent.
• Text argument between Meagan and Greg: Greg blamed her for ruining his job and life.
• Final message: “All I can say is wait for the storm.”
• On cross-examination, Wells maintained he could only locate devices, not people.

Day 5, Tuesday, June 17, 2025

• Meagan Jackson said she would not testify.
• The defense said it would not call any witnesses.
• Prosecutors and the defense delivered closing arguments.
• The jury reached a guilty verdict for Meagan Jackson.
• The judge sentenced Jackson to life in prison.