Archived News

Swain murder suspects have August court date

Eight defendants charged with the 2013 murder of Calup Joe Caston in Swain County are slated for an Aug. 11 court date. 

“If their attorneys have any motions they’ll be heard, if not it’ll be continued,” explained Alison Barnes, of the Swain County Clerk of Court’s office. 

In March 2013, the Swain Sheriff’s Office arrested eight people in connection with Caston’s killing. The victim, age 27, was assaulted at the old 288 boat ramp in Swain, and later died as a result of his injuries after arriving at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

The eight men facing charges for Caston’s murder all hail from Cherokee. They are Troy Floyd Boston, 25; Joshua Daniel George, 19; Marcos Anthony Cardonne, 23; Trevor Dylan George, 18; Curtis Cole Price, 19; Joshua Tyler Price, 22; Correy Hunter Price, 25; Corey Michael Jenkins, 21. 

Each defendant faces four different charges: conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree murder. 

Curtis Cole Price bonded out in April 2013 on $250,000. In March of this year, Jenkins also posted a $250,000 bond. Correy Hunter Price has yet to make his $500,000 bond and remains in custody. 

For two of the eight defendants — Cardonne and Joshua Tyler Price — the state is seeking the death penalty. According to Barnes, the death penalty is being sought due to two “aggravating circumstances” — the murder is considered “especially heinous, atrocious and cruel” and the crime was allegedly “committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of kidnapping.”

— Jeremy Morrison, News Editor

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.