Retired Colleton County official tapped as clerk of court

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COLUMBIA — Gov. Henry McMaster has appointed Patricia C. Grant as Colleton County Clerk of Court after the resignation of former clerk Becky Hill, a release from his office says.

Grant, of Walterboro, served as the Colleton County Clerk of Court for 20 years before she retired in 2020.

The appointment is effective immediately, and Grant will serve until the next general election or until a successor otherwise qualifies as provided by law, the release says.

Under investigation amid allegations of tampering with the jury in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Hill resigned March 25, the Associated Press reported.

Serving as clerk since 2020 was an honor, Hill said the day she resigned, citing the office’s work and its management of the high-profile Murdaugh trial in 2023.

Hill said she wanted to leave time for Republican candidates interested in running for the position to act, the AP reported. When asked about the deciding factor for her final decision, she cited her grandchildren.

According to state law, in the event of a vacancy in the office of a county clerk of court, the governor is authorized to appoint a suitable person, who shall be an elector of the county, to serve as clerk of court, the release says.