Conway Woman Sentenced to Life for Murder of Children’s Father

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – A jury found Meagan Jackson guilty of murdering Gregory Rice, the father of her children, on Tuesday. The jury convicted Jackson on one count of murder related to Rice’s death in October 2020. A judge sentenced her to life in prison.

Jackson was accused of kidnapping and shooting Rice. Officials discovered his body along the Little Pee Dee River, near Pitts Landing off Highway 378, about a month after the incident.

During the trial, Jackson opted not to testify as both the prosecution and defense concluded their arguments. The state’s closing statements painted the case as a “tale as old as time,” suggesting it involved an affair and pregnancy that culminated in Rice’s murder. Prosecutors claimed that Jackson stood to gain from his death.

In contrast, the defense argued that Jackson’s disclosure of her affair with former Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Dontell was not a crime. They contended that the prosecution failed to establish a clear crime scene or to prove the events surrounding the murder.

The defense also claimed that evidence indicated Dontell, who confessed to helping dispose of Rice’s body, was the actual perpetrator.

The jury began deliberating around noon on Tuesday. Over the course of the trial, evidence was presented showing a digital data expert from the Horry County Sheriff’s Office examined Jackson’s cell phone records leading up to the murder.

Lt. Ben Wells revealed that a text-free phone number had informed Dontell’s wife about the affair, which became a focal point in the case. Messages revealed that Jackson feared Rice would expose the affair out of anger.

Don’t tell, who has already pleaded guilty for his involvement in the case, testified that he was unaware of Jackson’s intentions to kill Rice until she shot him from the vehicle where he was driving.

Text messages revealed premeditated plans to harm Rice, including discussions about sabotaging his vehicle just days before the murder. On Wednesday, retired Horry County police Lt. Mark Bonne confirmed that investigators found a 22-caliber handgun box linked to the murder weapon.

Dontell’s sentencing will take place following the conclusion of Jackson’s trial. Stay tuned to WMBF News for further updates.