BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—Raw emotion filled the courtroom as the double murder trial for Caleb Matlock, 25, was set to start today, but shortly after the jury was selected, Matlock had a change of heart.
He decided to plead guilty to the two counts of murder, arson, armed robbery and weapons charge.
“In this case, he is doing the right thing, and I think there is a very strong degree, possibility that the state would get a conviction,” Matlock’s attorney, Stuart Axelrod, explained to the judge in court.
According to Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, Matlock admitted to shooting and killing June Guerry, 22, and Dana Woods, 18, with his own gun execution style in August 2012. She added that Matlock confessed to robbing the two girls, too.
After an extensive search for the young women, their bodies were found in separate locations of the Francis Marion National Forest. Investigators found Woods’ burnt car in Cordesville.
Wilson was ready to prosecute the case which was expected to last all week. Had a jury convicted Matlock for their murders, he would have been sentenced to life in prison.
Before the sentencing took place, the victims’ families addressed Matlock while making every effort to maintain their composure. However, the tears were hard to fight.
“I don’t know why you killed my sister. She was my world. She was my best friend,” said Rachel Guerry, the sister of June Guerry. “We did everything together. I took care of her and her daughter. Now she cannot see her daughter grow up.”
As Guerry addressed Matlock, he stood silent and avoided making eye contact. He was shielded by his attorney and several officers inside the courtroom. This, however, did not stop Guerry from telling Matlock exactly how his actions damaged her family.
“You’d come to our house, we babysat you. You can’t even tell us why you did this to our sister. I still have to live with my daughter asking where June is at,” stated Guerry. “You get to live your life while we work every day and pay for you to have three meals a day, lights, while we are struggling to take care of a little girl that doesn’t have her mother anymore.”
Dana’s mother, Jennifer Hill, also addressed the court, holding up a picture of her daughter and insisting that Matlock look at her and the photo; however, just as he did with Guerry, he refused.
“I want you to look at me, Caleb Matlock,” Hill demanded inside the courtroom. “I want him to take one last look at her face because this is the only chance I get to say what I have to say. This is my only peace. Just look. You took my innocent child from me.”
After hearing from the victims’ family, Matlock addressed them for the first time.
“The truth is this eats me up. I’ve said since the beginning I deserve to be punished. Sorry doesn’t even cut it, but I am. I’m really sorry,” stated Matlock.
Matlock stated he wanted to avoid a trial because he didn’t want to put the family “through it” and he was ready to give them closure.
“I just want it to be over. I am going to live the rest of my life in hell—whether it’s living or not. It’s been hell. I’m sorry,” stated Matlock.
His words brought little comfort to the victims’ families.
“You want to do the right thing. The right thing is you should have let her come home to us. You could have had that car. We could have replaced that car but we can’t replace her life,” stated June Guerry’s sister.
After Matlock addressed the court, his attorney requested that the judge sentence him to 40 years behind bars. The judge denied that request, and instead sentenced him to 55 years in prison.
“In my mind, I have attempted to balance your youth and your lack of a prior record against these two heinous crimes,” Judge Brooks Goldsmith told Matlock in court.
Matlock was then placed in handcuffs and escorted out of the back of the courtroom.
His cousin, Arthur Chavis, is also charged with the double murders of June Guerry and Dana Woods. It’s not clear, however, if he will stand trial or plead guilty to the charges.
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