2 plead guilty in murder

    Murphy – Two men pleaded guilty last week in the murder of 73-year-old Jerry Neal Dalrymple.
    Isaiah Eric Beavers, 20, pled guilty to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to serve 20-25 years in prison, with credit for the 431 days he already spent in jail leading up to the plea deal.
    Colton Russell Harkins, 23, pled guilty to being an accessory after the murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to 13-17 years in prison, with credit for 423 days of time already served.
    Senior Resident Superior Court Judge William H. Coward accepted the plea agreements on Dec. 2. This death was one of the “3 murders in 48 hours,” as reported in the Sept. 12, 2018, edition of the Cherokee Scout.
    According to prosecutors in the case, Dalrymple’s death was the result of a home invasion gone awry. Prosecutors say Beavers and Harkins invaded Dalrymple’s Carson Lane home in Bellview on Sept. 6, 2018. Beavers hit Dalrymple several times on the head with a lead pipe, while Harkins cut the phone line in the home.
    Beavers then stole cash from Dalrymple’s pockets before the two robbers fled in Dalrymple’s truck. Authorities found Dalrymple injured in his home the following day, after law enforcement learned his truck had been used during a vehicle chase in Union County, Ga.
    Dalrymple passed away in the hospital on Sept 8, 2018. He was a native and lifelong resident of Cherokee County, and a member of Moccasin Creek Baptist Church.
    Officials say Beavers and Dalrymple were acquaintances.