Garrett Phillips, a 12-year-old boy, was murdered in his home in Potsdam, New York, in 2011. The prime suspect was Oral "Nick" Hillary, a Jamaican man and former soccer coach at Clarkson University, who was also the ex-boyfriend of Garrett's mother, Tandy Cyrus. Hillary was charged with second-degree murder and tried in a bench trial (without a jury). However, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence directly linking him to the crime. The prosecution's case was criticized for relying heavily on conjecture and lacking physical evidence, and it was revealed that the prosecutor withheld exculpatory evidence, leading to her suspension from practicing law for two years
. The investigation and trial raised issues of racial bias and prosecutorial misconduct. Although the police and prosecution focused on Hillary from early on, no conclusive evidence was found at the crime scene to prove his guilt. Some theories and discussions, including those from the documentary and public commentary, suggest other possible suspects or conspiracies, but no one else has been legally charged or convicted for the murder
. In summary, no one has been legally proven or convicted to have killed Garrett Phillips. Oral "Nick" Hillary was the main suspect but was acquitted, and the case remains officially unsolved.
