23-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Killing His Girlfriend

A South Carolina man has admitted to beating his girlfriend, stuffing her body into a suitcase, and then burning it in a barrel last year.News outlets report 23-year-old John Coddington of Fort Mill pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder in the death of 32-year-old Tiffany Williams and was sentenced to 45 years in prison as part of a plea deal.Coddington, who first met Williams online, admitted to beating her in their apartment in December 2015 and watching her die. Williams was a mother of three children.Advertisement – Continue Reading BelowCoddington was using crack cocaine and was drunk when he committed the crime.According to WBTV in South Carolina:

Prosecutors said Coddington and Williams entered into a relationship after meeting on Backpage.com, a website that advertises for prostitution.”About 3 weeks after meeting, they agreed that she was going to give up using Backpage and being an escort, and that they would both quit using drugs and she would move in with him to his apartment,” said Solicitor Kevin Brackett.When Coddington returned to their shared apartment last December, prosecutors said he found Williams passed out. He told investigators he went through her phone and discovered she was still using the site to meet other men.

Prosecutors say days later, Coddington tried to cover up the crime by burning Williams’s body in Chester County. They say he also burned her clothes and personal belongings.