North Myrtle Beach restaurant owners accused of hiring ‘violent’ worker who killed patron
A man who killed a patron of a popular North Myrtle Beach restaurant is among several named in a lawsuit, including the restaurant manager and its owners.
Durance McCray was shot and killed by an employee of Captain’s Archie’s in 2021. Driscoll Riggins Jr. was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting and sentenced to 25 years in prison in May 2023.
Karen McCray, a representative of Durance McCray’s estate, filed the lawsuit March 11 accusing Billy Riggs, manager of Captain Archie’s; owners Marcus McDowell, Kevin Richard, Benedict Rappa and Ian Howie; and LR Holdings LLC of failing to maintain the premises and its employees “to ensure that they were safe, clean, and not dangerous to persons” such as McCray.
The suit claims that owners and the manager should have been aware of Riggins’ previous criminal history and “violent” behavior before he was hired.
Marc McDowell, one of the owners, said Tuesday that he was unaware of the suit and could not comment until he had a chance to see it. He said that an insurance claim was filed against the restaurant a year ago, but it was denied.
Riggins was a dishwasher at the restaurant, located at 2200 Little River Neck Road, at the time of the shooting. According to the suit, Riggins had showed several acts of violence toward employees and one or more of the defendants before the shooting on May 21, 2021. On that day, McCray, 32, of Longs, was shot eight times in the head and upper body, the suit said.
Police warrants said that Riggins waited for McCray to leave the restaurant before shooting him. North Myrtle Beach Police found several shell casings in the restaurant’s parking lot and a witness told police that someone fired multiple shots into McCray’s BMW. McCray was taken to the hospital where he died.
The suit asks for a jury trial, claiming the defendants were negligent in providing adequate security, failing to take recommendations from law enforcement, and not supervising employees.
