KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee man pleaded guilty to a 1985 Maryville murder on Wednesday after being indicted for first-degree murder by a Blount County grand jury earlier this month.
Roger Oody, who is already serving one life sentence for a separate murder, admitted to killing Navy veteran Billy Wayne Hearon at a trailer park and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Police said he was 22 years old when he killed Hearon.
During the hearing, Oody cried while apologizing to Hearon's family.
"I just want to apologize to the Hearon family. I'm sorry for what happened," Oody said while crying. "I was just drunk. It got outta hand."
One of Hearon's sisters provided a statement. "By the calendar, it's been almost 40 years. But to us, it was just last night," she said with tears streaming down her face.
Hearon's son provided a statement that was read aloud since he couldn't attend the hearing in person.
Hearon was killed on Jan. 4, 1985, but his body wasn't found until the following morning at the Shady Acres Trailer Park, off Foch Road.
According to the Jan 7, 1985 edition of the Maryville Daily Times, Maryville Police had suspects who they thought were responsible for his killing shortly after he died. Police said Hearon was stabbed more than 70 times and suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Hearon was in the United States Navy where he suffered an injury that made him disabled and unable to work. Herron grew up in Blount County and had 14 brothers and sisters. Police have been in contact with several of them over the course of the investigation.
