LENOIR, N.C. — A man who confessed to an Eyewitness News reporter that he beat a homeless man to death was in court Thursday.
Cory Vanover said he had no comment just 12 hours after he openly spoke to Channel 9 about his involvement in the beating death of Wade Taylor.
"I was so drunk I didn't make the right decision," he said Wednesday night.
When asked what he did, Vanover said, "I beat him to death."
Taylor was found dead near a campsite in the woods behind the Lenoir Mall two weeks ago.
Police said the two men knew each other. Vanover told Eyewitness News he beat Taylor to death with his hands and feet after Taylor made an unwanted sexual pass at him.
Just a few days after the killing, Eyewitness News spoke to Vanover at the Lenoir soup kitchen. He said he was the one who found the body but when Channel 9 tried to interview him he became agitated and told the crew to leave.
Eyewitness News returned to the Lenoir soup kitchen Thursday.
"Sad all the way around. There are so many rumors going around nobody knows what really happened," said Joe Prestwood, a resident.
"That person didn't deserve that. He was a good person, what I known of him. But I'm glad they did catch the person," Russel Craig, a resident, said.
Vanover asked for a court-appointed attorney.
The lawyer said he had not seen the Channel 9 video of Vanover's confession and apology to Taylor's family.
"I always ask God for forgiveness and he will forgive me," Vanover said.
WSOC
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