PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A Panhandle jury is recommending to a judge that a registered sex offender be put to death for raping and killing a 13-year-old girl.
The jurors voted 8 to 4 Friday afternoon in favor of death for Matthew Caylor after convicting him on Thursday of killing Melinda Hinson.
The girl's body was discovered by a maid in July 2008 at a Panama City motel where she was living with her family. Caylor confessed to killing her in a videotaped statement played for jurors.
Earlier Friday, Caylor's attorney tried to persuade jurors to let him die in prison while serving a life term. Jurors listened to Caylor's mother who said she and her husband were frequent drug users and that he grew up in a violent and drug-filled home.
The judge will make the final decision.
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