Michael Hutto, 56, the millionaire co-founder of the Salt Life clothing company, was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to killing 18-year-old Lora Grace Duncan inside their hotel room in October 2020.
Teenage girl found dead in hotel room of Salt Life clothing founder
On October 29, 2020, 18-year-old Lora Grace Duncan was found dead inside a hotel room at the Hilton Singer Island oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Florida, after her parents traced her cell phone there, People reported.
The room was registered to Michael Troy Hutto, now 56, the co-founder of the Salt Life apparel brand. Duncan was allegedly his girlfriend.
According to authorities, Duncan died from a single gunshot wound to the stomach. Inside the room, authorities found Hutto’s ID and wallet left behind, but he was not present.
Upon further investigation, authorities discovered that a day earlier police had found Hutto parked illegally outside a gas station in Saint Augustine. He was then transported to a hospital in Jacksonville after behavior that included “twitching, making delusional comments and crying while his eyes were rolling into the back of his head.”
Hutto tells police pair were playing with a gun
At the hospital, Hutto allegedly told police: “Oh my God. I think I hurt my Gracie,” and then began crying, according to the affidavit.
Detectives say Hutto told them he and Duncan were headed to the Florida Keys where they planned to visit some of his friends, but instead stopped at the Hilton in Palm Beach, according to the affidavit.
Later, Hutto said he and Duncan were “playing inside of the hotel room as if they were shooting with their finger and a gun.”
Duncan was in the bathroom sitting on the counter, Hutto told detectives, when he pointed the gun at her and it fired. Allegedly in a panic, he left the room and took the gun with him.
Salt Life founder pleads guilty and sentenced in shooting death of teenage girlfriend
The millionaire co-founder of the Salt Life apparel brand pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter in the death of his 18-year-old girlfriend in 2020 inside their hotel room at the Hilton Singer Island oceanfront resort.
After the guilty plea, Michael Troy Hutto was sentenced to twelve years in prison.
According to Hutto’s attorney, he described the incident as “a stupid, tragic, heartbreaking accident that basically ruined two families.” He added that he did not know why Hutto pulled his real gun out during the “playful” exchange, Fox News reported. He also insisted that Hutto and Duncan “were in love,” despite their three-decade-plus age difference.
Duncan’s family accused Hutto of giving her drugs to keep her sedated.
Salt Life apparel is aimed mostly at beachgoers, surfers, and fishing enthusiasts and was founded in 2003. According to the Salt Life Facebook page, Hutto sold his share of the business in 2013 and was no longer affiliated with the brand. Hutto received $40 million for the sale, according to the Daily Mail.
