A South Carolina woman who broke into her former boyfriend’s home with a backpack full of chemicals and lighters will not serve immediate jail time following a plea deal struck this week.
Krystal Heyward, 30, of Hilton Head, pleaded guilty on May 6 to a charge of second-degree burglary. The conviction stems from an early morning incident on September 21, 2024, when authorities say she forced her way into a residence by removing a window air conditioning unit from a back patio.
When Beaufort County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, the situation took a bizarre turn. According to court records obtained by The Island Packet, Heyward did not deny her presence or her motives. Instead, she told responding officers she was there to “blow up the house.”
A search of Heyward’s belongings revealed a pressurized bottle of bleach, a sauce jar configured to act as a Molotov cocktail, a cloth soaked in unidentified chemicals, several lighters, and a knife. While the arsenal looked threatening, investigators later determined that the items she possessed were not actually capable of causing an explosion.
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The homeowner’s mother informed police that her son had ended a relationship with Heyward just weeks before the break-in.
Because her tools lacked the chemical stability to detonate, prosecutors dismissed a charge of possessing a destructive device. Heyward originally faced first-degree burglary—a more severe felony—but the charge was reduced as part of her negotiated plea.
The court handed down a five-year prison sentence, but suspended it in favor of 18 months of probation. Under the terms of her release, Heyward must undergo mandatory mental health and substance abuse counseling. A permanent restraining order has also been issued, legally barring her from any future contact with her ex-boyfriend.
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