TX - Rhonda 'Chantay' Blankinship, 25, beaten to death, Lake Brownwood, 15 May 2016

[Niner]

Finally.....

Can't copy/paste this - here's the link:

http://www.browncountytx.org/upload/page/0813/2019 District Court/January 29 Criminal.pdf


1/29/19 @ 10:30am Riggs, Ryan Derek
Status Hearing

 

[Ibiz]

Looks like the phenotyping was a useful tool in this case.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, January 29th:
*Status Hearing (@ 10:30am CT) - TX – Rhonda “Chantay” Blankinship (25) (last seen May 13, 2016; found May 15, 2016, Lake Brownwood) – *Ryan Derek Riggs (21) charged (11/5/17) & arraigned (1/29/18) with capital murder. Bond denied. Initially Riggs confessed to his church congregation on Wed. (11/15/17) to the murder after the release (11/8/17) on DNA profile & composite drawing from a process called phenotyping & later to investigators.
6/26/18: Pros deposed Blankinship’s grandfather, Charlie Barnett (82) just in case he is not around for trial in Oct. 2019.
8/14/18: Jury selection is set for 9/30/19, could take a week.
1/24/19 Update: Next Status hearing on 1/29/19.

 

[Niner]

Lake Brownwood man, 22, sentenced to life in prison after plea deal finalized Friday


BROWNWOOD — A man will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole after he pleaded guilty to killing a woman near Lake Brownwood in May 2016.

Ryan Derek Riggs, 22, admitted through a plea deal Friday that he sexually assaulted and killed Rhonda Chantay Blankinship, according to a news release from Brown County District Attorney Michael B. Murray's office.

Riggs was sentenced to life in prison by 35th District Court Judge Stephen Ellis. Part of the deal between prosecutors and the defense included Riggs waiving any right to an appeal of his conviction, the release said.

Rhonda Chantay!