Nashville, Tenn. — Social media personality Dalton Eatherly, widely known online as “Chud the Builder,” had his bond revoked in Davidson County on June 17, 2026, during a hearing on misdemeanor charges stemming from a May incident at a downtown Nashville restaurant. The decision keeps him in custody and carries significant implications for his separate, more serious felony case in Montgomery County (Clarksville), where he faces an active attempted murder charge.
Eatherly, a 28-year-old Clarksville-area contractor and livestreamer, gained notoriety for provocative “IRL” streams often involving confrontations and racially charged language directed at Black individuals. In early May 2026, he was arrested in Nashville after allegedly refusing to stop livestreaming inside a steakhouse, making disruptive statements, and leaving without paying a bill of roughly $372. He faced misdemeanor counts including theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. He was released on bond with standard conditions, one of which prohibited new criminal charges.
Just days later, on May 13, 2026, Eatherly was involved in a shooting outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville. According to authorities, he and Joshua Fox engaged in an altercation that escalated to gunfire. Eatherly allegedly fired multiple shots at Fox (who was struck several times) and accidentally wounded himself in the arm. He was charged with attempted criminal homicide (attempted murder), employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. His bond in that case was set at $1.25 million and later reduced to $1 million; he has remained in custody since his arrest.
The June 17 Nashville Hearing and Bond Revocation
During the Davidson County hearing before Judge Melissa Blackburn, prosecutors moved to revoke Eatherly’s Nashville bond rather than proceed with a scheduled preliminary hearing. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Walker cited the violation of the “no new crimes” bond condition due to the Clarksville arrest. The hearing also focused heavily on Eatherly’s social media activity.
Prosecutors played videos and displayed posts in which Eatherly discussed “proper escalation” and the inevitability of shooting a Black person, including one in which he imagined the headline: “Chud the Builder kills a Black man. It’s almost like it’s going to happen.” Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Detective Michael Weber testified that the content sounded “premeditative, like he’s going to kill somebody.”
Defense attorney Jacob Fendley argued that Eatherly had received online threats (including against his infant son) and noted a pending motion to dismiss the Nashville charges. Judge Blackburn, however, sided with prosecutors, stating the revocation was based on “what I’ve seen on social media and Mr. Eatherly’s behavior.” Eatherly’s next Davidson County appearance is scheduled for June 25.
Reports from the hearing also indicate that investigators referenced or presented surveillance footage from the Clarksville shooting, which prosecutors say shows Eatherly firing at Fox before any physical attack occurred—directly challenging Eatherly’s self-defense claim.
What the Revocation Means for the Clarksville Case
The Nashville and Clarksville cases are in separate jurisdictions, so the bond revocation applies only to the misdemeanor matters. However, its effects are practical and strategic:
- Continued detention: Eatherly remains jailed. He has not posted the $1 million bond in Clarksville, and the Nashville revocation eliminates any possibility of release on the lower-level charges. He is effectively held without bond across both cases for the foreseeable future.
- Reinforcement of risk assessment: The revocation highlights that Eatherly was out on bond when the alleged Clarksville shooting occurred, violating explicit release conditions. Combined with the presentation of his online statements, it signals strong judicial concern about community safety and flight risk.
- Support for the prosecution narrative: Evidence aired in the Nashville hearing—including the disputed self-defense footage and pattern-of-behavior arguments—bolsters the Montgomery County case. While the Clarksville bond remains at $1 million (recently upheld in a separate hearing), these developments make any future bond reduction or release arguments more difficult.
- Broader context: Eatherly’s case has drawn significant online attention, with fundraising efforts and commentary from various perspectives. The court actions focus strictly on the alleged violations of law and bond conditions.
Eatherly maintains his innocence in the shooting and has described it as self-defense. The Clarksville case remains active and is expected to proceed toward grand jury review or further hearings. The Nashville misdemeanors continue separately, with the defense seeking dismissal.
As of mid-June 2026, Dalton Eatherly stays behind bars while both cases move forward. The bond revocation in Nashville serves as a clear marker of the courts’ view of his conduct and online activity in the context of the more serious Clarksville charges.
SOURCES:
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