Co-founder of Salt Life brand charged in Florida in 18-year-old woman's shooting death

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A Florida man who helped launch Salt Life, a popular beach attire company, has been arrested in the shooting death of a "kind-hearted and sweet" 18-year-old woman in a Palm Beach County hotel room.

Police arrested Michael Troy Hutto, 54, on a manslaughter charge in the death Thursday of Lora Grace Duncan, of Lake City, Fla., on Friday.

Riviera Beach police found her body after being called to the Hilton on Singer Island. They said she died from a gunshot wound.

Mugshot for Michael Troy Hutto, 54. (Riviera Beach Police Department)

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Florida Highway Patrol released photos of Hutto, of Wellborn, Fla., in which he is seen being taken into custody Thursday afternoon at Baptist South Hospital in Jacksonville, 280 miles north of Singer Island. The photos show him in hospital scrubs.

Duncan left Lake City with a person she knew, but deputies haven’t confirmed if it was Hutto, Sgt. Steve Khachigan with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Monday.

“Hopefully we will be able to clarify more once we learn more,” he said.

Columbia deputies began looking for Duncan on Monday after her parents expressed concern about her whereabouts.

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They later learned she was at the Hilton and asked Riviera Beach police to conduct a welfare check.

Hutto and some friends started Salt Life in 2003, its brand aimed at boaters, surfers and fishermen who spend time on the ocean, the Associated Press reported. Hutto is credited with coming up with the name.

Salt Life said in statement that Hutto and the other co-founders sold the entire business to the new owners a few years ago.

“The co-founders have not been associated with the brand in any way since the purchase in 2013,” the company said.

Fox 30 Jacksonville reported interviewing a young woman named Haley Lance who said she used to be friends with Hutto’s daughter and had interactions with Hutto.

Lance said she and Duncan had been friends in grammar school and had recently reconnected.

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“She was like bubbly and really kind-hearted,” she said of Duncan, according to the station. “She was just really sweet.“