BREAKING NEWS/ Vinnie Leroy Keaton Pleads Guilty To Capital Murder

Vinnie Leroy Keaton has pled to Guilty to Capital Murder Charges for the 2012 slaying of Melissa Leeann Hudgins.

Keaton appeared before Cherokee County Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor on Wednesday morning in the Cherokee County Courtroom.

Sentencing in the case has been set for March 16th, 2015 in Cherokee County Circuit before Judge Taylor.

Keaton 2Keaton was indicted by a Cherokee County Grand Jury on charges of Capital Murder, Robbery and Promoting Prison Contraband, back on April of 2013.

Keaton was arrested in Cookeville, Tennessee on November 30th of 2012 on a charge of Theft of Property 1st Degree; he was transported back to Cherokee County – where he was considered a suspect in the death of Melissa Leeann Hudgins, whose body was found inside the arena on the campus of Gadsden State Cherokee in Centre two days before.

Hudgins, age 32, was a resident of Cedar Bluff, who worked with Keaton at the facility through an Anniston-based contractor.

Keaton’s ID card was found in Hudgins’ car, where it had been abandoned in Dunlap, Tennessee – the Grand Am also contained Hudgins credit cards and cell phone.

Keaton couldn’t be found at the time; however, he later surrendered to Cookeville Police.

He was formally charged with Hudgins murder in December of 2012.

He was ordered by State to pay $50,000 in restitution.

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