Jurors convict man in murder of 13-year-old
PANAMA CITY (AP) – A Panhandle jury has found a convicted sex offender from Georgia guilty of raping and killing a 13-year-old Panama City girl.
Melinda Hinson’s body was discovered by a maid in July 2008 at a Panama City motel where the girl was living with her family.
Matthew Caylor confessed to killing her in a videotaped statement played for jurors, who convicted him Thursday afternoon.
Caylor’s attorney had asked jurors to convict him of second-degree instead of first-degree murder, saying the 34-year-old man had consensual sex with the girl and then strangled her without premeditation. Jurors disagreed, convicting him of the more-serious first-degree charge.
Jurors could recommend life in prison or the death penalty for Caylor when they consider his sentence on Friday.