'Chud the Builder' Remains in Jail After Judge Keeps $1 Million Bond in Place

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Dalton Eatherly walked into a Tennessee courtroom hoping to chip away at a seven-figure bond. He walked out facing the same obstacle that has kept him in jail since May.

Known online as "Chud the Builder," the livestreamer remains in the Montgomery County Jail after a judge refused to lower his $1 million bond during a hearing tied to a courthouse shooting that left another man wounded. Court records show Eatherly faces attempted murder and several additional felony counts connected to claims stemming from events outside the Montgomery County Courthouse.

Escalation outside the Montgomery County Courthouse turned the livestreamer's online notoriety into a felony matter. Investigators accuse Eatherly of wounding Joshua Fox, a disabled veteran, during a confrontation in Clarksville. Eatherly has denied wrongdoing and maintains he acted in self-defense.

All eyes turned toward the bench Friday as attorneys battled over a request to lower the $1 million bond. According to FOX 17, defense lawyer Jacob Fendley argued that Eatherly has family roots in the area, operates a construction business, and does not pose a danger if released. Judge William Goodman III disagreed and left the seven-figure threshold intact.

Davidson County still looms over the proceedings. Separate claims there were cited by prosecutors while arguing against a reduction. Those pending accusations played a role in the court's decision to leave the seven-figure condition in place.

Atlanta Black Star reported that Eatherly's continued incarceration could place additional pressure on his finances and living situation if he remains unable to secure release. Sympathizers have pointed to that possibility while attempting to raise money on his behalf.

Getting out is not as simple as finding someone willing to write a check. Court-imposed conditions attached to the bond create additional hurdles, and the judge added restrictions that would govern Eatherly's movements if he were released. One supporter even appeared offering financial assistance toward the seven-figure hurdle.

Recording from an earlier hearing captured Eatherly lowering his head moments after learning he would face a $1.25 million bond before it was later reduced to $1 million. The image circulated widely online and became one of the most shared visuals tied to the matter.

Social media transformed the courtroom fight into a national spectacle. Sympathizers frame the matter as a self-defense fight. Detractors point to Eatherly's online history and the accusations outlined by investigators. Both sides continue battling for online audiences while criminal proceedings move ahead.

No trial date has been announced in the courthouse shooting matter. For now, the most immediate number attached to Eatherly's future remains $1 million — the figure standing between the livestreamer and his release from custody.