TOP STORY OF THE DAY Brought to you FREE by WICU: Mathews convicted of 2016 murder of Staunton woman
After four hours deliberating the case, the jury returns a guilty verdict in a murder trial.
Mathews was on trial in Clay Circuit Court on felony charges of murder and abuse of a corpse in the death of Virginia Marie Myrtle, 52, sometime on Jan. 29, 2016. Myrtle was found dead inside a mobile home located in Staunton two days later.
Clay County Prosecutor Emily Clarke advised the decision came back around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. A hearing about Mathews facing the habitual offender enhancement was scheduled to take place if he was convicted. However, according to Clarke, Mathews plead guilty to the enhancement charge.
A sentencing hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Oct. 14 in Circuit Court.
Mathews’ defense counsel included attorneys John R. Springer and Brock E. Dalton during the trial, which was available for public access online at public.courts.in.gov.
The Times will update this story when further official information is available.