A 19-year-old man faces life imprisonment after pleading guilty to capital murder.
A defense attorney told the Times-Journal of Fort Payne that Richard Sharp Shelton entered the plea during a hearing Tuesday partly because he wanted to end the case before Christmas for the sake of the victim’s family.
Authorities said 63-year-old Jerry Neal Burt was shot to death in his home in June 2010. They said Shelton and another man took about $100 in cash and prescription medications.
Shelton’s co-defendant is expected to enter a plea today.
Defense lawyer Robert Ray said he advised Shelton not to plead guilty so quickly, but the man wanted to end the case before the holidays.