Gianna Kistenmacher begged a South Carolina judge this week to lift her GPS monitor, overnight curfew, and social-media ban so she can live on campus at college.
Kistenmacher, 18, appeared in court Monday with her family and Trey Wright’s relatives both present, as her lawyer argued the accused accessory to murder has earned looser restrictions through full cooperation with prosecutors. She has been living at her family’s Myrtle Beach home since July 2025, first on full-time house arrest, then under an 8 p.m. To 6 a.m. Curfew starting in February.
Her attorney told the court she wants to apply to colleges beyond the local one she currently attends while residing at home, and hopes to eventually live in campus housing News 15. The hearing ended without the judge ruling on any of the defense requests.
Kistenmacher is also seeking permission to use social media again, though only to view college announcements and student alerts rather than to post, her lawyer said in a motion filed in the case.
That cooperation agreement with prosecutors does not guarantee Kistenmacher a plea deal, ABC News 15 reported. It only limits how prosecutors can use her statements against her as they pursue cases against the eight other defendants charged in Wright’s murder.
Wright’s grandmother, Brenda Gore, tore into Kistenmacher in a scathing Facebook post after the hearing.
“Gianna wants to go to the college of her choice. Trey wasn’t given a choice or he would have chose to live his life,” Gore wrote.
Gore called Kistenmacher a “little miss entitled b—h” and broadened her attack to include other defendants in the case.
“Why did these 9 pieces of sh– get to decide Treys future and think they have rights to continue to live a life of luxury,” she wrote. “They deserve to be in jail now.”
Gore added: “I hate you all for taking away a child I loved…they should be locked up forever.”
She also singled out Braylyn Thompson and Jaden Auclaire, both 18, who were jailed again this week for allegedly violating house arrest and committing additional crimes, according to WPDE.
“These two out breaking the law again should they be allowed to stay out on bond until they kill someone else [sic],” Gore wrote.
The murder of Trey Wright, 16, began with an online feud on June 24, when Wright clashed with 19-year-old Devan Raper over Kistenmacher, telling Raper he didn’t like him hanging out with her, according to Court TV. Kistenmacher, Raper, and others then drove to Johnsonville, South Carolina, where Wright lived. Raper allegedly fired two fatal shots at Wright as he approached the vehicle. Wright’s family has called Kistenmacher the “queen bee” of the group involved in the killing, though her precise role in the alleged conspiracy remains unclear.
It was not immediately clear when Kistenmacher will appear in court next.