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Caylor Takes the Stand; Family Speaks Out
11/18/09 - 10:31 PM
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Mary Scott Speigner - bio
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Panama City, Fla:

Convicted rapist and murderer, Matthew Caylor, took the stand Wednesday for the first time, begging for his life.

A jury recommended the death penalty for Caylor in October for the murder of 13-year-old Melinda Hinson.  Her body was found naked and strangled under the bed of the Valu-Lodge Motel in Panama City in July of 2008.

The Hearing

In the phase two of the penalty hearing, both sides presented arguments.  The State brought in Melinda’s mother and step-mother to explain how their lives had been affected by the murder.

The Defense put Caylor himself of the stand where he explained the reasons for his anger.  He claimed that it was an act of rage that made him kill Hinson.

He explained the numerous previous felonies on his record, that were not allowed in the trial, but are up for consideration in the penalty hearings.

He said that he was wrongly convicted of a prior child molestation charge, also on a 13-year old girl back in 1999.  The charge did not include sexual contact, and he originally received 10 years of probation for pleading guilty.  He said he was forced into this plea by the public defender.  When he violated the probation with drugs, he had to register as a sex offender.  He said this status ruined his life.

He said when Melinda came to his room the night of the murder, it brought back all of the anger from the previous charge.

He admitted to wanting to kill two other women in a separate incident the same day as Melinda’s murder and even brought duct tape and knife to the women’s home claiming they stole drugs from him.  He was arrested that night, after the women called the police.  While in jail, he confessed to Melinda’s murder.

He also admitted to being on drugs during both the murder and the video confession used in court. 

In a phone conversation with his father in prison, he told him he wanted the death penalty.  Wednesday, he retracted that statement.

“I know what happened… God knows what happened… and I’ve asked on numerous occasions for him to forgive me.  I’ve even asked Melinda and I’m asking the family,” Caylor said on the stand.

Melinda’s Family

Despite Caylor’s pleas for forgiveness, Melinda’s family says they don’t know if they can forgive him.

“He might ask me for forgiveness but right now I can’t maybe one day,” said Rhonda McNallin, Melinda’s mom.

Caylor asked his lawyer to give the family a book, The Shack that is supposed to help families deal with grief. 

“He can’t give me a book that’s going to make it any better,” said McNallin.

Inside the book was a letter from Caylor addressed to Rhonda and Melinda’s brother, Cody.  The letter asks them to allow him to explain himself face to face.  It states that he will wait the rest of his life to talk to them.

The letter is signed, “Please forgive me, Matt.”

The family says their lives have changed dramatically.  Cody,16, who never left Melinda’s side, no longer attends school.  Her step brother, Brennan,13, a straight “A” student before her death, failed last year.

“Neither one of the boys can even speak of it,” said Brandi Hinson, Melinda’s step-mom.

Now they live their lives afraid, something like this could happen again.

“Social interaction with us now is like a judgment to every character we come across because we have four children here. We don’t want it to happen to another child,” said Hinson.

Because of legal reasons, the family wasn’t allowed to say everything they wanted to in court.  But they say they feel justice has been served.

Caylor will learn whether or not he gets the death penalty on December 11th.

User Comments

I can’t say if Caylor did rape a girl in Georgia and said he was forced to plead quilty. I can relate because my son was accused of molesting a little girl here in Henderson, Ky. and was forced into saying he done this by his lawyer. He went to the jail and told him if he didn’t plead quilty he would get life if convicted. This was after he went to court and pleaded not quilty. My son couldn’t get a hold of me or his grand dad to ask our advice and by that time it was two late for him to change his mind. He has been pen for 10 years on a crime he didn’t do and after the fact the little girl said he did nothing but then it was too late. I tried to get the courts to question her in private, but they said it was too late. We are still trying to appeal this. I know my son didn’t do this. He even swore on my life and he wouldn’t do that.If I thought he was lying then he could rot there. In Melinda’s case he did rape her and he probably raped the other girl too. Debby Patterson!!!

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  11/27  at  02:09 AM
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