Man convicted of killing his wife and dog in Berkeley County

MONCKS CORNER, SC (WCBD) – A man who shot his wife and dog in 2020 was sentenced in a Berkeley County courtroom on Wednesday.

Matthew Garrett Speck, 37, was convicted of murder, animal abuse and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

District Court Judge Deadra Jefferson sentenced Speck to life in prison without parole on the murder charge, five years on the animal experimentation charge and five years on the weapons possession charge.

According to the Ninth Circuit Attorney’s Office, at 5 a.m. on June 5, 2025, Speck shot and killed his wife, Caitlin Conrad Speck, while she was sleeping.

After shooting his wife, Speck shot and killed their dog, Bailey Mae.

He then shot himself in the body and torso, causing superficial wounds. Prosecutors allege he shot himself to make police believe burglars had shot his family.

Hanahan Police Department investigators used forensic evidence, witness statements and a five-hour interview with Speck to arrest him for the murders, the law firm said.

During the trial, Judge Jefferson heard testimony from Speck’s girlfriend, who testified that Speck was divorcing his wife and that the two were moving away together to start a new life.

A former work colleague also said that Speck had complained about his marriage. Other evidence presented at trial showed that Speck had conducted research into human strangulation, suffocation and cyanide poisoning before the murders.

Assistant attorneys F. Alexander Myers and Nicholas Young prosecuted the case.

“Speck deserved his punishment through his brazen treachery and premeditated action,” said Assistant Attorney Myers.