South Carolina family demands justice after son's killer released from prison 16 years early
Carl Smalls Sr. argues the criminal justice system has turned into the "criminal assistance system" after Jeroid Price, the man convicted of murdering Smalls' son, was quietly released from prison early without notice to the family.
A husband-and-wife duo allegedly slaughtered four family members on Halloween 2015 and made pointed, emotional comments directed at the supposed "killer" just days after the quadruple murder.
The bodies of Cathy Taylor Scott, 60, Violet Taylor, 82, Mike Scott, 58, and Mike's mother, Barbara Scott, 80, were found dead in their Pendleton, South Carolina, home.
"Whoever did this, I don’t see how you can live with yourself," Amy Vilardi told local news outlet WYFF-TV a couple of days after the murders and thanked the community for their support.
Eight years later, Vilardi and her husband, Rosmore "Ross" Vilardi, were arrested and charged with the gory crime that "rocked the Anderson County community to its core," the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post on Dec. 15, 2023.
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Amy Vilardi was one of two people charged with four counts of murder in Anderson County, South Carolina. (Anderson County Sheriff's Office)
Cathy Scott was Amy Vilardi’s mother, and Violet Taylor was her grandmother. Mike Scott was the husband of Cathy Scott and son of Barbara Scott.
Amy called 911 on Nov. 2, 2015, after allegedly finding her family dead, each with at least one gunshot wound, but investigators said the victims were likely dead for several hours, "maybe several days," per USA Today.
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The couple has maintained their innocence for years, but Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride said during a Dec. 15 press conference after their arrests that they've been on police radar.
McBride declined to answer questions about what evidence finally allegedly connected Amy and Rosmore to the crime.
Rosmore "Ross" Vilardi was one of two people charged with four counts of murder in Anderson County, South Carolina. (Anderson County Sheriff's Office)
"Some things have to be preserved for our day in court," he said. "Anything I say, as far as details, the other side can use against us."
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But the sheriff, who took over the case less than two years after the murders, acknowledged that the arrests are a step in the right direction toward closure.
"I think we knew this day would come," McBride said during the press conference. "We were praying this day would come. … We've had some really good prayers answered."
Was Amy's lawsuit and moving money an insight into motive?
Law enforcement didn't discuss a potential motive for the grisly crime.
But the Vilardis sued the sheriff’s office in May 2016 after the murders, "seeking the return of vehicles and electronics and nearly $90,000 in cash that were taken from the two homes by investigators," according to USA Today, which cited court documents.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina (Google Maps)
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That property had "no evidentiary value" and was worth "well in excess of $100,000," according to the lawsuit. Amy Viladi asked the court to recognize her "ownership interest" in that property and "grant the immediate claim and delivery" of the property.
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