What did Michael Hutto do? Salt Life co-founder sentenced after pleading guilty to Lora Grace Duncan death

On Thursday, February 16, 56-year-old Salt Life co-founder Michael Hutto pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection to the 2020 death of his 18-year-old girlfriend, Lora Grace Duncan.

Trigger warning: This article is about a murder. Reader discretion is advised.

As per an arrest affidavit, on October 2020, Michael Hutto claimed that he had accidentally killed his girlfriend while they were playing with a firearm in the Hilton Singer Island oceanfront resort in West Palm Beach, Florida.

According to People News, Lora Grace Duncan's father located the body in the hotel room after he traced her using her phone. He said that Michael Hutto was not present at the time, but had left behind his wallet and ID.

A day after Duncan's body was found, authorities found him in Jacksonville, where he admitted to accidentally killing the 18-year-old.

Court records indicate that Michael Hutto was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

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Michael Hutto's confession to the accidental killing

As per People News, the arrest affidavit indicated that soon after police found Michael Hutto, he showed signs of mental illness, and allegedly expressed regret for the killing of Lora Grace Duncan.

The affidavit said:

"(He was) twitching, making delusional comments and crying while his eyes were rolling into the back of his head."

The affidavit added that he told officers:

"Oh my God, I think I hurt my Gracie."

As per Hutto's account, Duncan was sitting on a counter in the hotel room when he accidentally fired a shot at her from a pistol, fatally striking her in the stomach.

The affidavit said:

"(The suspect said him and the victim were) playing inside of the hotel room as if they were shooting with their finger and a gun."

Hutto's defense attorney, Donnie Murrel Jr., said of the incident:

"This was an accident. A stupid, tragic, heartbreaking accident that basically ruined two families."

He added:

"He loved Grace Duncan. I know it sounds odd to say that because of their age difference, and the nature of their relationship. But he absolutely loved her."

Hutto then left the hotel room, reportedly taking the firearm with him. According to the New York Post, he got into his Green Dodge and fled the scene, driving until he ran out of gas. Authorities found him because he was allegedly in an illegal parking area.

Lora Grace Duncan's father told authorities that the relationship between Hutto and his daughter was suspicious, as he accused the Salt Life co-founder of having drugged and sedated her in order to continue the relationship.

He said that it was due to this reason he attempted to track his daughter down to the hotel room, where he discovered her decomposing body.

Soon after Hutto's arrest, a Salt Life spokesperson noted that he had not been involved with the company since 2013.