Alabama man Jason Loveday, 34, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty on Friday to murdering his aunt and her boyfriend
The Alabama man who beat his aunt’s boyfriend to death for mistreating her then decapitated her for being a witness has been sentenced to life behind bars.
Jason Alexander Loveday, 34, narrowly avoided the death penalty after striking a deal with prosecutors who agreed to downgrade his capital murder charges, which are punishable by death, to murder if he pleaded guilty.
He pleaded guilty in court on Friday and was given to two concurrent life sentences for murdering his aunt Sharon Morrell, 50, and her boyfriend Christopher Ryer, 31, according to AL.com.
At his sentencing he stood calm and collected and responded ‘Yes ma’am’ when asked if he understood his rights.
‘This was a tragic case. We appreciate the state understanding the psychological factors involved in the case and considering the issues Jason was having,’ Huntsville attorney Patrick Tuten, who represented Loveday, said.
He was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences for murdering his aunt Sharon Morrell, 50, (left) and her boyfriend Christopher Ryer, 31, (right) on June 9, 2016
The slayings took place in the mobile home where the three lived together in Madison County, Alabama. The mobile home where slayings took place pictured above
His attorneys did not provide details on Loveday’s psychological state.
‘It would have been a horrible (trial) to live through. It’s a horrible case, and we are happy the case was settled for a fair sentence,’ Madison County Chief Trial Attorney Tim Gann said.
The horrific killings unfolded in June 9, 2016 in the mobile home where the three lived together in Madison County.
Loveday told investigators that he killed Ryer because he was tired of the way he mistreated his aunt.
He beat him with a pipe and slit his throat. Then he turned on his aunt because she was a witness to the murder, and beat her and cut off her head.
He was arrested shortly after the murder on June 9, 2016 and held in Madison County Jail without bond, pictured in 2016
He narrowly avoided the death penalty after striking a guilty plea deal with prosecutors who agreed to downgrade his capital murder charges, pictured above in 2016
Loveday was arrested the same day as the killings and has been held without bond in Madison County jail ever since.
Investigator Melissa Webster said after the murder Loveday approached a man outside of a hair salon. Still covered in blood, Loveday told the man he was involved in a double murder and asked him to call 911.
She said Loveday told her he heard voices and they told him what to do with his aunt’s remains, according to AL.com.
Loveday was also found to have sustained multiple dog bites from his aunt’s two pit bulls that tried to halt his attack.
The investigator added that a local teenager found Loveday in the woods covered in blood and beating his chest screaming ‘I’m a warrior’ shortly after the murders. The teen, who was out riding his four-wheeler hurried home and told his parents who called police.