Dear Mr. Condon:

I am writing to you concerning the murder of my brother, Ricky Seagraves, in North Charleston back in 1978. As you may remember, his murder remained unsolved for three years, until a man named Daniel Hogg came forward claiming that two other men, Paul Mazzell and Edward Merriman, killed Ricky. Based on Hogg's story, Mazzell and Merriman were eventually prosecuted and sentenced to life in prison for Ricky's murder. What troubles my family and I deeply, however, is that we do not believe the State convicted the right men. I am a former law enforcement officer, and I have studied the evidence relating to my brother's murder in detail over the years. I have reviewed countless interviews, law enforcement reports and court documents, I have seen the polygraphs of Daniel Hogg, Edward Merriman, and Paul Mazzell, and I have talked to people with first hand knowledge about this case, including law enforcement officers and other people who have heard Daniel Hogg confess to killing Ricky himself. Based on all of this information, I do believe Merriman was involved and properly prosecuted, but I am convinced that Paul Mazzell is innocent of my brother's murder. I am also convinced that the real murderer in this case is Daniel Hogg.

I am aware that Mazzell has been fighting his conviction ever since he went to prison almost seventeen years ago, and I am sure you are aware of the details of his claims. I am writing to you now to tell you that I and other members of my family agree with him. The evidence against Hogg is overwhelming, and I can not understand why he has never been prosecuted for my brother's murder. As the victims in this case, we believe the time has come to make our position known. We ask that the investigation of this case be reopened, and that the State take whatever steps necessary to initiate the prosecution of Daniel Hogg. and to overturn the wrongful conviction of Paul Mazzell. Mr. Condon, the Seagraves family is very much in favor of having someone in prison for the murder of our loved one, but it must be the right person. The more time Daniel Hogg is allowed to remain free while Paul Mazzell remains incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, the more Ricky's memory is dishonored. We only want what is just in this case, and that is the prosecution of Daniel Hogg and the release of Paul Mazzell

Having made the decision to make our feelings known, I am motivated to do whatever is necessary to have this case reopened. I hope and expect that you will take this request very seriously, and that prompt action will be taken. Twenty one years is long enough for Daniel Hogg to be allowed to escape responsibility for my brother's murder, and seventeen years is far too long for Paul Mazzell to have served for another man's crime. After all this time, the Seagraves family and the Mazzell family are entitled to have this situation made right, and I believe that the State, whose job it was to solve Rickv's murder correctly, has a duty to fix the injustice it created. I intend to hold the State to its obligation, one way or another, until the mistakes have been corrected. I will do whatever it takes to get the State to take notice and reopen this case.

If I can be of any assistance in the reopening of this case, please call on me. Respectfully yours, Tony Seagraves

The above was not altered in any way. The under lines were made by Tony Seagraves.

Charlie Condon would later deny getting this letter. Mr. Seagraves then attached another letter to the first one and faxed them both to Condon. Charlie Condon, took no action, but then how could he?