Georgetown man enters Alford plea, sentenced to 10 years in prison for accessory to 2020 murder
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) – A Georgetown man entered an Alford plea Thursday to accessory after the fact of murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson made the announcement Thursday in a news release.
Eric Wade Hempel, 24, entered a guilty plea under North Carolina vs Alford to accessory after the fact of murder before the Honorable Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Culbertson, the solicitor’s office said.
In an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges a jury would likely convict based on the evidence. Hempel faced up to 15 years in prison but was sentenced to 10 years, the solicitor’s office said.
The charge stemmed from the 2020 death of 35-year-old Harry Barkley, whose remains were found in May 2021 in a wooded area of Williamsburg County.
Barkley was reported missing in August 2020 by his family and his car was found a month later. Hempel was also charged in Williamsburg County and those charges are pending, the solicitor’s office said.
Count on News13 for updates.
* * *
Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13’s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylor’s work here.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
