By admin 
There is no dispute that Nathan Jarrod Thomas and Jimar Frazier Neely shot and killed three people in York County in two unrelated homicides. They had delusions in their heads, and they had guns.
Read more Fact Check: What Lexington 1 board candidates say about student screen time
Thomas shot a neighbor Jaleel Jones 8 times in 2021 in Rock Hill.
Neely used an assault rifle to kill Tim Barber and his brother-in-law Robbin Thompson in 2019.
They are not in prison.
Both men were found not guilty by reason of insanity by a judge, and sent to a secure state hospital for mental health treatment with the possibility that someday they might be released back into the public.
Now, visiting judge Eugene Griffith has to decide if both of the men will get out. In South Carolina, only a judge can order a person to be released after a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict and court-ordered mental health treatment in a secure hospital.
State mental health officials said in York County court Tuesday that both Thomas and Neely are, under state law, ready to be released to residential care centers after strides they have made while in treatment.
But the families of the victims want both to stay in state custody so that nobody else is hurt or killed by people who are in mental health crises. Both Thomas and Neely have been cited at the secure hospital for illegal drug use, testimony showed.
Renea Barber, widow of Tim Barber and Robbin Thompson’s sister, urged Griffith not to release the killers so that no other family has to endure what she described as a failed state mental health system.
“It was heartbreaking to recognize that Tim and Robbin became casualties of a broken mental health system,” Renea Barber said.
Prosecutors, including York County’s top prosecutor Kevin Brackett, are also fighting to keep both men in secure “lock and key” hospitals surrounded by fences and barbed wire where they do not interact with the public.
The killings: Delusions and guns
Thomas killed Jones after experiencing delusions about secret societies and other people targeting him and being out to get him. He stole Jones’ car and shot him eight times before dumping his body and fleeing in the car before he was captured.
Jones was a plumber who gave Thomas a ride to a convenience store and ended up dead.
In 2019, Neely shot and killed Tim Barber and his brother-in-law, Robbin Thompson, as they sat in a truck awaiting cabinets to be delivered. Neely then shot up a relative’s house and shot at deputies before he was caught. He heard voices and claimed there were “invisible people” trying to get him.
Testimony in both cases showed both Thomas and Neely had substance abuse problems with illegal drugs and had psychotic episodes.
Release or not: Public safety concerns
S.C. Office of Mental Health lawyer Pete Balthazor said he submitted documents to the court seeking to release both Thomas and Neely to a residential center near Charleston.
A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Alleyne, testified about the treatment and medications they have received while at a secure state hospital. She testified that in her opinion after treating both men, both were ready to be released to residential centers that have some mental health staff but are not locked down.
Read more Buying a home in Horry County? How to find out if it is at risk of flooding
Prosecutors Brackett and Chris Epting said they remain concerned about Thomas and Neely’s drug use in the hospital that present a clear danger to the public if released. Thomas was caught using amphetamines, methamphetamines and another drug while in state hospital custody, Epting said.
As for Neely, he’s up for release for the second time. In 2025, Judge Keith Kelly denied Neely’s release after testimony showed he obtained and used illegal drugs despite being in the state hospital.
Neely has diagnoses for schizophrenia, alcohol abuse and cannabis abuse, testimony from psychiatrist Alleyne showed. He has experienced delusions and other symptoms and is on medication to control it, she said. Neely has, since the 2025 denial of release, passed drug tests and can be treated in a less restricted environment, she testified.
But Brackett pushed back in court, saying Neely shot Barber and Thompson in 2019 before going on a further shooting spree.
More, Neely had mental problems before the killings. He did not take his prescribed medication and stopped treatment before the shootings. He failed drug tests at the secure mental hospital and was disciplined for an incident at the state hospital where he was an accomplice to an assault, testimony showed.
The concern for the public is if Neely is released, he could come and go as he pleases and have easy access to drugs that could interfere with his prescribed medications, Brackett said.
“When presented with the opportunity to use drugs, he has,” Brackett said.
Plus, Neely himself would have to get his monthly medications himself and has shown a past history of refusing to do so, Brackett said.
As for Neely’s psychotic behavior Brackett said: “If it happened before it is possible it could happen again.”
Both Thomas and Neely were in court Tuesday but did not speak or testify.
What happens now?
Alexia Barber, one of Tim Barber’s daughters, told Judge Griffith no victims should have to endure the violence that took her father and uncle. She urged him to deny release to protect the public.
“Think about and imagine the future possibility of something like this happening again for the community, for any of our families,” Alexia Barber said.
Jones’s family, who has vowed to opposed Thomas’ release, were in court but did not speak Tuesday. In previous hearings this summer covered exclusively by The Herald, they vowed to fight release to protect the community from violence.
There will be more hearings by video conference in both cases Thursday, where prosecutors are expected to have a different psychiatric doctor testify.
Griffith will make his ruling after the Thursday hearing, but it is unclear when.
Read more Racist DMs to Miami football player lead Florida Bar to put employee on leave