Last plea in ASU-student murder case

Dalrymple pleads guilty to accessory charge

By Melanie Davis

The third and final defendant in the murder of Appalachian State University student Stephen Harrington

entered into a plea agreement Thursday in front of large courtroom crowd at the Watauga County Courthouse.

About 15 people sat on each side of the courtroom, in support of the victim and the defendant, Matthew Brandon Dalrymple.

Harrington’s body was discovered at 7:45 on the morning of Nov. 8, 2005 in the trunk of his Subaru parked on Sleepy Hollow Lane in the Foscoe community. His arms were bound behind his back, and his face wrapped in duct tape.

Harrington’s body had been set aflame in the trunk of the car. The state medical examiner determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation due to duct tape over his mouth and nose.

Three men were charged in the slaying. Kyle Triplett, 24, Neil Sargeant, 27, and Dalrymple, 23. All three men were initially charged with first degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony burning of personal property and first degree murder.

Dalrymple entered into a plea agreement Thursday afternoon, pleading guilty to accessory after the fact to first degree murder.

During assistant district attorney Charlie Byrd’s summary of the evidence, he indicated Triplett and Sargeant had played active roles in the abduction, taping of Harrington’s face and the burning of his body. Dalrymple was accused of driving the second vehicle to Sleepy Hollow Lane and transporting the other two men back to the Poplar Grove Road home at which the murder took place.

Byrd added that Dalrymple gave a statement immediately following his arrest on Nov. 8, 2005 and has fully cooperated with the investigation. “The state feels this [plea agreement] is an appropriate punishment,” he said.

Following the presentation of the proposed agreement, which carries a sentence of a minimum of 100 months and a maximum of 129 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections, with credit for the three years he has been held at the Watauga County Detention Center, members of Harrington’s family were allowed to address the judge.

Harrington’s parents and sister expressed frustration and disappointment with the agreement and asked the judge not to accept it.

“The fact that Mr. Dalrymple will be a free man in five to seven years is unacceptable to our family,” said Tim Harrington, the victim’s father.

Ashely Harrington, Stephen’s sister, spoke next. “I am saddened by the injustice. No one seems to be willing to do their job,” she said. “This man will do fewer years for killing my brother than dealing drugs.”

The defense addressed the judge after the family’s statements.

“I’ve been working for 15 years with Charlie Byrd and Mr. Wilson, and they do their job,” Casey said. “Mr. Dalrymple is not a murderer.”

Casey went on to reiterate Dalrymple’s cooperation and consistency in statements. He alleged that co-defendant Triplett did not mention Dalrymple’s involvement in the beating until his sixth statement.

The defense characterized Triplett and Sargant has monsters, and Dalrymple having participated in driving the body to Foscoe out of fear for his own life.

Cathy Berry, Dalrymple’s mother, addressed the court next. She spoke of his nature as someone who wouldn’t normally have stood aside and let another person be harmed.

Berry said she believed her son to be in fear during the Nov. 7 events.

“Their [Harrington family’s] loss is unimaginable. We have all suffered the last three years in different ways,” she said. “I love my son and I miss him. I will continue to pray for the Harrington family and everyone whose lives have been affected by this case.”

The presiding Superior Court Judge James Baker spoke to the Harrington family before accepting the plea. “I am sorry for all you have gone through and sorry you will leave this court feeling justice has not been served,” he said. “I do not doubt that the state is doing what they feel is right.”

Baker then turned to Dalrymple. “You’ve seen very sad people today. Your actions helped contribute to that,” he said. “Don’t ever forget the sadness you’ve caused. That is a life sentence you deserve.”

The plea was then accepted with stipulations that Dalrymple not be housed near Sargant or Triplett. Dalrymple will be responsible for his share of the $3,884.75 in restitution owed to the Harrington family for funeral expenses. That amount is to be split between the three men convicted in the crime.

Another provision of the agreement includes Dalrymple’s cooperation and testimony should there be any post-conviction actions taken by the other defendants.

Triplett was the first to stand trial. He entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution during jury selection of his mid-September 2007 trial. He was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Sargent stood trial in April. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Since Dalrymple is the final defendant to stand trial in the case, the personal effects of Harrington that have been held by the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office will now be returned to the family.