Gravine Island teens' bond set at $100K

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - Less than 24 hours after charges were elevated from burglary third to burglary first degree, three Baldwin County teens had their bond hearings Wednesday. 

Investigators said the trio was burglarizing a fish camp on Gravine Island early Sunday morning when armed neighbors confronted them and fired warning shots.

One of those shots hit 17-year-old Summer Moody in the head, just behind the ear.

“The bullet went into the skull went through the brain and then exited the other side of her skull at the time,” said Attorney Robert Stankoski, who is representing the teen. 

Deputies said Moody, of Bay Minette, was on the island with the suspects. She has been clinging to life since the shooting nearly four days ago.  

Judge Jody Bishop set the bond at $100,000 each for Daniel Parnell, Dillon Wade Tyree, and Scott Tipton Byrd.

Byrd’s attorney believes the bond was a bit too much.

“He is a 17-year-old juvenile that has now been charged as an adult and  $100,000 bond is too high,” said Attorney Clark Stankoski. “This child has literally a speeding ticket on his record.”

After the bond hearing, prosecutors told FOX10 one reason for the high bond was they believe Byrd, along with the other two teens, were also involved in another violent crime. Assistant District Attorney Rushing Payne, however, would not go into detail just yet.

“We anticipate additional charges being brought against these defendants stemming from a previous incident. Those charges are related to a violent felony," said Payne.

“I have talked with the investigating officer those cases have been pending and nothing has come of them,” said Clark. “There has been no evidence of them. There has been no charge of them. There has been no anything other than they say it's coming, and that's not enough to raise the bond to a higher level in our opinion.”

Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon upgraded charges against the teens to first degree burglary, stating they had a weapon during the alleged break-ins.

Byrd’s attorney, however, believes the weapon was found on the island.

"I don't believe there’s going to be any evidence that shows any of these teens had a weapon on them,” he said.

In the event that any of the three suspects bond out, Judge Bishop ordered several conditions to that bond. First, the teens cannot have any contact with Summer Moody or her family and second and they are to remain on house arrest.

"We feel like it's in the best interest of the investigation and the family for these defendants not to have contact with Summer's family," Payne said. "In the midst of perpetrating burglary in the first degree, Summer Moody ended up with a bullet in her head."

Clark said Scott Byrd is Moody’s boyfriend and intends to fight that order.