NEWTON, N.C. — The district attorney offered a plea deal Thursday morning in the case of Sharman Odom, who is accused of sexually assaulting and killing popular high school counselor, Maggie Daniels.
The plea deal would take the death penalty off the table.
The high-profile case attracted a lot of attention after Daniels, who worked as a counselor at Discovery High School, was found killed inside her apartment.
Weeks later, police arrested Odom, who lived in the same apartment complex, after finding his DNA on a strand of hair at the crime scene.
Prosecutors wouldn't say why they are allowing Odom to avoid the death penalty by pleading guilty to murder and giving him the option of being sentenced to life in prison without parole instead. Odom's attorneys wouldn't discuss the deal either, but Shell Pearce who has worked on capital cases said there can be several reasons.
"In a case like this where you've got lots of scientific DNA evidence, who knows," Pearce said.
Police said Daniel's family is aware of the possible plea deal.
Odom has time to think about the plea deal and whether he'll take it. He won't be back in court until early next year.
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