MANTEO, N.C. — Two of the three teens charged in connection with a deadly shooting that took place in the parking lot of the Avalon Fishing Pier back in 2025 appeared in court on Tuesday.
News 3 Outer Banks reporter Will Thomas was in court on Tuesday to attend the hearings for 17-year-old Henry Hargis and 18-year-old Zachary Rose. The third teen charged, 17-year-old Kayden Lindsey appeared in court on Monday. All three face life sentences without parole after being charged with first-degree murder. Rose and Lindsey were charged for being accessories to the alleged crime.
On Tuesday, a trial date was set for Hargis, who prosecutors accuse of pulling the trigger in the shooting death of 19-year-old Zane Hughes. Hargis' trial is scheduled for March 1, 2027. He was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon to the second victim who was struck by gunfire and recovered from the shooting.
Rose appeared in court later that day, where Judge Andy Womble agreed to lower his bond from $750,000 to $300,000. If Rose is able to post this amount, there will be conditions upon his release. One condition would be not being able to leave his home without a parent with him.
Hughes' mother Nicole Hassell was also in court on Tuesday filing motions related to the prosecution of the case. The first was a motion to remove District Attorney Jeff Cruden's office from the prosecution of the three teenagers charged in the murder. Hassell also filed a motion for the second time that Cruden's office is violating her crime victims' rights. Judge Womble denied that motion for the first time in December.
Hassell told the judge that she continues to feel she has been shut out by Cruden's office on information regarding her son's case — like hearing dates — and claimed Cruden has acted disrespectfully to her and her family throughout their grieving process. Hassell shared that since December, she has made progress and still feels like she can't get anywhere with the court.
Cruden argued his record speaks for itself in his relationships with victims' families and this isn't about their interactions over the past year. Cruden says it goes back on his lack of trust in Hassell, who he says has previously released information to the media that could jeopardize his case. Also sharing his heart breaks for Hassell and her family.
Womble agreed with Cruden and denied both of Hassell's motions. Womble said that in December, he was the one who removed Hassell as the family contact with Cruden's office. Stating in part, "You have changed, but it doesn't excuse your actions."
Watch previous coverage: Judge updates release terms for teen charged in Avalon Pier murder case
On Monday, the conditions of release were updated for 17-year-old Kayden Lindsey, who was released from jail on a $500,000 secured bond back in December. He was ordered to wear an ankle monitor but not ordered to be on house arrest.
Since then, Dare County District Attorney Jeff Cruden says Lindsey has had two instances where he came into contact with Hughes' mother, Nicole Hassell, and sister inadvertently. Cruden said those interactions occurred at a grocery store and Hughes' sister's place of work.
These interactions led to Cruden wanting to update the conditions of Lindsey's release, and Womble agreed. Womble ruled on Monday to update Lindsey's conditions to him not being on the premises of the two's homes or places of employment. Also adding that if Lindsey finds himself at the same location as the two, he needs to leave the location immediately without incident.
Lindsey was in court with his defense attorney, James Payne, on Monday to accept the updated conditions.
Watch previous coverage: Mom pushes for justice, case remains in court a year after the deadly shooting at Avalon Pier
"Any contact has been entirely coincidental. They wanted additional conditions on the bond to ensure that the parties maintain separation while this case is pending, which is a good idea, and why we consented to it," Payne told media members on Monday after the ruling.
On July 31, Hughes' mother went to the Avalon Fishing Pier to place flowers where her son was killed exactly a year prior.
"Just coming here, it just it makes me so sad that everybody was robbed of Zane, because he was a great kid," Hassell told News 3.
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