Wrongful Death Man Pleads Guilty to Murder in New Hanover County, NC

A man who served 30 years in prison for nine rape convictions in the 1970s pleaded guilty to the murder of a 24-year-old woman in New Hanover County Superior Court on Monday.

Andrew Bernard Adams, 57, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the death of Latricia Ana Scott in January 2012.

Superior Court Judge Phyllis Gorham sentenced Adams to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

Scott, a Cape Fear Community College student, was first reported missing Jan. 11, 2012, after she did not return home the day before. She was last seen at Adams’ home.

Two days later, the missing person investigation turned into a homicide investigation when detectives with the Wilmington Police Department found Scott’s body buried in the backyard of Adams’ Cowan Street home.

According to Assistant District Attorney Dru Lewis, Scott was found buried naked and had obvious trauma to her head and face. An autopsy report revealed she died from blunt-force trauma that the medical examiner found to be consistent with being struck by a hammer. Detectives also found a hammer in Adams’ room during their investigation, Lewis said.

Adams was arrested on Jan. 13, 2012, and charged with first-degree murder.

“The defendant, in his interview with detectives, initially denied killing and burying Latricia. He also admitted that he did both, claiming that it was an accident,” Lewis said.

According to District Attorney Ben David, Adams’ defense team argued that Adams was mentally retarded, which means the state could not pursue the death penalty. State and defense testing showed that Adams’ IQ was well below 70.

“Today’s plea ensures that one of the most evil defendants this area has ever seen will die in prison and will never be a free man,” David said. “Given the hideous nature of this crime and the defendant’s terrible criminal history, the state has always insisted that the defendant be punished to the maximum extent of the law. Today he was.”

James Payne, Adams’ defense attorney, said he agreed with Monday’s sentencing–specifically as it relates to Adams’ mental disability.

“From the defense point of view this is the exact enforcement of the law. The District Attorney’s Office took the law as it is with regard to mental retardation and applied it appropriately and joined us in an agreement with the state and before the court to impose the appropriate sentence,” Payne said.

Following Monday’s plea, Adams was scheduled to be taken to Craven County where he will plead guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree rape, David said. He will receive another life sentence for each offense under the sentencing law that was in effect in 1977.

Adams will serve his three life sentences in Central Prison in Raleigh.

According to David, Scott’s family is pleased that this is behind them, and they supported the court’s decision.

“Obviously they have lost a daughter and what I am constantly reminded in a case like this…is that today brings no joy, it just brings justice.

“In my almost 15 years in this office, and almost nine now as a district attorney, I can tell you that this is one of the very worst crimes I’ve seen and this is one of the worst criminal records I’ve ever seen on any defendant,” David said.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS
  • LinkedIn
This entry was posted in Private Investigator Lexington. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.