Convicted Murderer Wants Case Overturned

A 49-year-old from Eldon serving two life sentences plus two fifty-year terms in connection to a 2013 double murder appeared in a Morgan County courtroom, Monday, seeking to have his conviction overturned. Derrell Dean Spellmeyer entered an Alford plea in June, 2014, after being accused of murdering Freddie and Carol Wilson, of Versailles, while trying to steal pain killers which had been prescribed to Misses Wilson. An Alford plea does not admit guilt but does concede that the prosecution has enough evidence for a conviction. Two other defendants in the case, Garland and Mandy Mitchell, were also originally charged with two murder counts and two counts of armed criminal action. Those charges were dropped and the Mitchells, instead, entered guilty pleas to a felony drug charge. Mr. Wilson was sentenced to eight years while Mrs.Wilson received 12 years. As for the post-conviction relief trial heard this week for Spellmeyer, Circuit Judge Matthew P. Hamner will rule on the outcome sometime in the next several months.