A South Carolina man remains in custody without bond after a fatal shooting at a Rock Hill smoke shop. In a strange twist, his defense attributed the incident to the consumption of a psychedelic-infused chocolate bar.
According to multiple reports, on December 4, 2024, Zachary Elias, 28, entered Budiman’s Smokeshop & Art Gallery in Rock Hill wearing no shirt or shoes and armed with an assault rifle. He reportedly asked for the “mushroom man” before opening fire.
The shooting resulted in the deaths of 27-year-old employee Celci Johnson and 49-year-old customer Emad Thabet Saadalla. Saadalla’s wife was also injured but survived. A fourth person managed to escape unharmed.
Elias fled the scene but was apprehended after crashing his vehicle over the Catawba River bridge. He faces two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Judge denies Elias’ mushroom alibi
28 year old Zachary Elias is in court in Rock Hill right now for a bond hearing. He’s accused of shooting and killing two people at at BudImans smoke shop Wednesday night.
— Jason Puckett (@JasonPWBTV) December 5, 2024
More to come. pic.twitter.com/yXOxEhMoTW
Fast forward to September 2025, and Elias’s attorney, Alexandre Benevento, argued that Elias unknowingly ingested psilocin, a psychedelic compound, from a chocolate bar purchased at the smoke shop earlier that day. Benevento contended that the presence of psilocin in Elias’s system led to involuntary intoxication, impairing his mental state during the shooting, and he should be granted bond.
The defense presented evidence of psilocin in Elias’s system, though the chocolate bar’s packaging did not list the substance. Benevento criticized the sale of such products, stating, “We’re talking about candy, your honor, we’re talking about candy.”
Prosecutor Kevin Brackett countered that Elias knowingly purchased the chocolate bar, labeled as “magic mushroom chocolate,” for the purpose of altering his mental state. Brackett emphasized that Elias paid $32 for the bar, suggesting an intent to consume a psychoactive substance. The judge denied bond, citing the severity of the charges and the potential danger Elias posed to the community.
Elias remains incarcerated at the York County Jail. The case has prompted discussions about the regulation of products sold in smoke shops. Local officials have expressed concern over the lack of oversight, noting that substances like psilocin can be sold without proper labeling or regulation.
