October 07, 2025

COJ #149 - Pressure Breaks Politicians: Sheriff Fires Off-Duty Deputy Who Held Kids at Gunpoint + A Mysterious SC Fire Draws Arson Investigation

1 hour 2 minutes

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland now have a fuller picture of the #SquiresGate case in Hilton Head Island after it went viral last week.

On today’s episode, the gang talks about what it took to get the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to fire off-duty deputy Master Sgt. Billy Squires after video emerged of him pointing his service weapon at four teenagers in his neighborhood on a Sunday evening while allegedly intoxicated and wearing part of his uniform over his regular clothes.

A shocking video depicts the kids begging for their lives and one of them calling out his mom had people across the spectrum and all over the world calling for justice. It took five days for the sheriff’s office to terminate Squires even though many of his 11 policy violations were immediately apparent.

Mandy, Liz and Eric talk about what it took to pressure the good ole boys into holding one of their own accountable.

*Since recording this episode, Live 5 News Reported SLED Chief Mark Keel said, “At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set. SLED agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion.” Referring to Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein's house fire.

☕ Cups Up! ⚖️

Episode References

“Deputy fired for ‘multiple’ policy violations, Beaufort County sheriff says” - Live5 WCSC, Updated Oct 4, 2025 📰

South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice 🌐

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s Press Conference on Facebook 🌐

Liz’s Thoughts on BCSO’s Press Conference on Facebook 🌐

“SC judge’s house fire being investigated; 3 hospitalized” - WIS10, Updated Oct 5, 2025 📰

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