CAMERON—A Caldwell man accused of helping to dispose of the body in the Emily Hacker murder case is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday in 20th District Court, according to Prosecutor Bill Torrey.
Kevin Cormier was never charged with the murder of the 34-year-old Rockdale resident on Jan. 19, 2017, but was indicted for “tampering with evidence-human corpse” by a Milam County Grand Jury.
Cormier, 32 at the time of his indictment on March 23, 2017, was charged with helping to move Hacker’s body.
Prosecutor Bill Torrey told The Reporter Cormier entered an “open plea” to the charge, a second-degree felony and is open to the full range of possible punishments.
AFFIDAVIT—The arrest affidavit, filed by then Rockdale Police Lt. J. D. Newlin said Hacker’s body was located in Burleson County down a lane off a county road west of FM 60.
Newlin’s affidavit states that within 20 feet of the shallow grave deep ruts “showed someone had been stuck at that location.” Newlin interviewed two witnesses and the defendant (Cormier).
According to the affidavit, one of the witnesses said the defendant told her he had come to Rockdale on Jan 20 and met with (murder defendant John) Stewart.
The affidavit states:
“...He said that the victim’s body was in a bag and they put the bag on a black mat that was in the bed of the truck. When they arrived at the location they got stuck and cut the black mat into pieces and tried to use them to drive out of the ruts they were stuck in. They had to be pulled out by someone”
The affidavit states on the next day (Jan. 21) Stewart was observed at the same location “burning something in a hole in the ground.”
SENTENCED—The four persons arrested in connection with the murder itself have already been sentenced.
Candice Jones and Edward Barry drew 50-year terms each, Steward received 18 and Ashley Wesson-Zawadzke 15.
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