Retrial Set for Summerville Jeweler Michael Colucci in Wife’s 2015 Death

Retrial Set for Summerville Jeweler Michael Colucci in Wife’s 2015 Death

By James Seidel | CC News Network

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — Retrial Set for Summerville Jeweler Michael Colucci: Nearly a decade after 38-year-old Sara Moore-Colucci was found dead under suspicious circumstances behind a jewelry business in Summerville, the man accused of killing her—her husband, Michael Colucci—is once again headed to trial. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office confirmed this week that jury selection will begin June 16 in Berkeley County.

Michael Colucci, a former jeweler, is charged with the murder of his wife on May 20, 2015. He initially stood trial in 2018, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. Now, prosecutors hope to present a more compelling case in this long-delayed retrial.

According to court documents and prior testimony, Michael Colucci told investigators that his wife died by suicide—claiming she hanged herself with a garden hose behind a warehouse he used for business. However, investigators say the scene suggested otherwise. Moore-Colucci was discovered lying flat on her back on a concrete slab outside the storage unit, a garden hose nearby looped over the top of a chain-link fence, with a cinder block positioned below it. Strands of blonde hair were also found caught in the hose’s loop.

Deputies with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office said there were signs of a struggle inside the couple’s vehicle parked at the scene. Prosecutors argued that Colucci’s account changed several times during questioning and that his CPR efforts were inconsistent with those typically observed during emergencies.

The investigation gained renewed momentum after Sara’s family contacted Sheriff Duane Lewis in 2016 expressing concerns. Lewis requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) take over the investigation. SLED, which later investigated the Alex Murdaugh murders, charged Colucci with murder in May 2016.

The state contends Colucci strangled his wife during an argument amid rising financial pressure and a deteriorating marriage. According to the wrongful death suit filed by Moore-Colucci’s estate, the couple was nearing separation, and Sara had become increasingly distressed. She died on the anniversary of her previous husband’s death, a detail the defense has used to suggest depression and mental instability.

The retrial will be prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Joel Kozak and Kinli Abee, both of whom are veterans of complex homicide cases. Colucci is represented by Charleston defense attorney Andy Savage, a well-known litigator who previously represented clients in the Stephen Smith and Michael Slager cases. Savage has argued Moore-Colucci had a history of depression and emotional trauma and maintains her death was a tragic suicide.

Court records show the retrial was initially scheduled for May 13 but postponed due to court scheduling issues and concerns about the expected length of the trial.

Crime and Cask founder and investigative journalist James Seidel will be covering the retrial in-depth for CC News Network. Seidel, known for his reporting on the Murdaugh family and misconduct in South Carolina’s justice system, said the Colucci case raises disturbing questions about how money, power, and privilege can influence outcomes in South Carolina courtrooms.

“Colucci’s case echoes familiar themes: delayed justice, shifting narratives, and a powerful defendant who nearly walked free,” Seidel said. “We’re committed to uncovering the truth, wherever the evidence leads.”

If convicted, Colucci could face a minimum of 30 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The wrongful death suit against him also remains pending in Berkeley County civil court.

Stay with CC News Network for daily trial coverage and updates.