WILMINGTON — Triston Spencer, a 22-year-old Wilmington man, has pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday, July 8, for the shooting death of Skylar Pattillo.
Spencer was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation and a suspended sentence of 16 to 29 months. As a condition of probation, Spencer must serve 60 days in custody: 30 days starting July 8 and 15 days each on the 2026 and 2027 anniversaries of the victim’s death. Additionally, Spencer is also required to work with the DA’s office on the development of a public safety announcement about gun safety.
DA Jason Smith and ADA William Van Trigt made a statement saying: “With this tragic loss of life, we are reminded of a fundamental rule of firearm safety: always treat every gun as if it is loaded. Assumptions and lapses in protocol can have irreversible consequences. Gun safety is not just a practice — it is a responsibility we all share.”
On September 26, 2024, Wilmington Police were dispatched after receiving a call about a shooting that just occurred at an apartment. When officers arrived on the scene, they located 20-year-old Skylar Pattillo on the ground with a single gunshot wound to her head from a Glock 9mm handgun. Life saving measures were performed as Pattillo was transported to the hospital where she was declared deceased.
Outside the apartment, Spencer approached law enforcement and said he was the one that “dry fired” the gun thinking it was unloaded.
Spencer told law enforcement that he recently purchased the firearm that was found at the scene and brought it with him to the apartment. He said one of his friends, Frank Williams, who was also present at the apartment, took the gun to clear it of any rounds before giving it back to Spencer. Law enforcement was told Pattillo and Williams were dancing in the living room and that Spencer was holding the gun when he accidentally pulled the trigger.
Pattillo’s roommates and Williams said there was no ill will within the friend group and while one of the roommates did not see the incident they recalled Spencer telling them he thought the gun was “empty.”
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