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by ANDY FANCHER
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A husband charged alongside his wife in a 2015 quadruple homicide has moved to sever his trial from hers, arguing a joint proceeding would deny him due process as the graphic case barrels toward trial later this month.
In a motion filed on January 29, 2026, Ross Vilardi’s attorney, Shaun Kent, contends that trying the defendants together would unfairly and irreparably prejudice his client, citing the “sheer volume” of statements attributed to his client’s spouse and co-defendant, Amy Vilardi.
A hearing on the motion to sever is scheduled for this Thursday (February 12, 2026), before Circuit Court Judge R. Scott Sprouse.
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In the filing, Kent states that Amy Vilardi made more than 20 separate statements to law enforcement over the eight years before she and Ross Vilardi were charged with four counts of murder. The motion also notes that discovery has revealed evidence extracted from multiple cell phones owned by Amy Vilardi.
Kent further highlights an alleged jailhouse statement made by Amy Vilardi in September 2024 to another inmate — in which she allegedly implicated herself in the homicides. According to the filing, the defense anticipates the state will call that inmate to testify about statements Amy Vilardi allegedly made while the two were housed together.
The motion also notes that Amy Vilardi was an active social media user who made numerous Facebook posts about the victims, which the state may seek to introduce at trial.
Kent additionally points to prosecutors’ public characterization of Amy Vilardi as the “mastermind” behind the killings of her family. He argues that those statements, combined with the foregoing evidence, would unfairly prejudice his client in a joint trial.
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The Vilardis are jointly charged in the 2015 killings of four members of Amy Vilardi’s family inside a double-wide trailer in Anderson County. Prosecutors allege the killings were carried out to obtain more than $100,000 left behind by the victims.
According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Amy Vilardi’s step-grandmother, Barbara Scott, 80, her grandmother, Violet Taylor, 82, and her stepfather, Terry Michael Scott, 58, had their throats slit before being shot postmortem in the living room of the trailer.
As for Amy Vilardi’s mother, 60-year-old Cathy Scott, investigators allege she was shot twice in the head and then stabbed to death in her bedroom.
Investigators believe the murders occurred on or about Halloween in 2015. Ross and Amy Vilardi, who lived in a single-wide trailer on the same property, claim they did not discover the bodies inside the double-wide until roughly three days later.
The following afternoon, Amy Vilardi appeared on WYFF-TV, thanking the community for its prayers while criticizing law enforcement for what she described as insufficient transparency.
It was not until more than eight years later, in December 2023, that Ross and Amy Vilardi were each served with four counts of murder.
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Violet Taylor (ACSO)
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During the prolonged investigation, the Vilardis remodeled the double-wide trailer where the slayings occurred and later moved into the residence. Court records show the couple later sued another relative to obtain possession of Scott’s vehicles and were subsequently accused by that relative of taking approximately $30,000 worth of Scott’s jewelry.
In a separate civil action, the Vilardis sued ACSO seeking the return of two vehicles and roughly $60,000 in cash seized from the property following the killings. Court records show the couple was later awarded $34,890 from those seized funds.
As the investigation continued, the Vilardis relocated to West Columbia, S.C. where they opened a mobile dog grooming business. At its height, the business provided complimentary grooming services for K-9 units with Cayce Police.
That period ended in February 2024, when Ross and Amy Vilardi were denied bond by Circuit Court Judge Heath Taylor. Both defendants have remained in custody at the Anderson County Detention Center since that time.
Then as now, Amy Vilardi is represented by attorney Lori Murray, while Ross Vilardi is represented by Kent.
This story may be updated.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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1 comment
Guilty