Gianna Kistenmacher Seeks Lenient Bond in Trey Wright Murder Case

Gianna Kistenmacher, 18, asked a South Carolina judge this week to remove her court-ordered GPS monitor and overnight curfew, and to restore limited access to social media, as she fights an accessory-to-murder charge tied to the 2025 shooting death of her boyfriend, Trey Wright, 16, according to the New York Post, which cited reporting from ABC News 15.

What is Kistenmacher asking the court to change?

Her attorney told the court this week that Kistenmacher wants the GPS ankle monitor and her 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew lifted so she can apply to and eventually live on campus at colleges outside the local school she currently attends, the Post reported. The motion also seeks permission to use social media again, but only to view college announcements and student alerts, not to post, according to the lawyer and the filed motion.

What happened to Trey Wright?

Wright, 16, was shot to death in June 2025. Kistenmacher is accused of orchestrating his killing and faces an accessory-to-murder charge, according to the Post's account of the case. The report did not detail the shooting itself beyond describing Wright's death as "gruesome."

What restrictions has the court already allowed?

Kistenmacher has lived at her family's home in Myrtle Beach since July 2025, after the court permitted her release from full-time house arrest. A judge eased those terms further in February, replacing round-the-clock confinement with the current overnight curfew, the Post reported.

By the numbers

• 18: Kistenmacher's current age.
• 16: Trey Wright's age at the time of his death.
• June 2025: month of the shooting.
• February 2026 (per the timeline in the report): when the court shifted Kistenmacher from full house arrest to an 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew.
• July 2025: when Kistenmacher was first allowed to return home pending trial.

Why does her attorney say she deserves fewer restrictions?

Kistenmacher's lawyer argued in court that his client has "earned the extra liberties by fully cooperating" with authorities, according to the Post. The outlet did not report further detail on the nature of that cooperation or on the prosecution's response to the motion.

How has Trey Wright's family reacted?

Wright's grandmother, Brenda Gore, criticized Kistenmacher in a Facebook post after the hearing, writing, "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," the Post reported. Gore also called Kistenmacher a "little miss entitled bitch" in the same post, according to the outlet.

What to watch

• Whether the judge grants, denies, or partially modifies the request to remove the GPS monitor and curfew.
• Whether prosecutors file a formal objection to restored social-media access, even in the limited form requested.
• Any scheduling update on Kistenmacher's accessory-to-murder trial.
• Additional public statements from Wright's family as the case proceeds.

The Post's report did not include a ruling date or confirm when the judge is expected to decide on the motion.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.