NEWTON, N.C. — The man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a beloved high school counselor in Newton entered a guilty plea Thursday morning in court.
Sharman Odom pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sexual offense and kidnapping in Maggie Daniels death. Several family members and students of Daniels were in court for the plea.
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 in 2014.
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.
A deal was offered in the case in November and the prosecutor allowed Odom to take time to think about the deal.
Prosecutors revealed in court that Odom took a selfie after Daniels was strangled to death. They said they could see scratch marks on his face.
Police said Odom was the only man in the entire apartment complex who refused to give a DNA sample while officers were investigating. When police finally got a court ordered sample, they linked him to the crime from evidence under Daniels fingernails and hair samples found on her body.
Prosecutors also revealed in court that Odom put her clothes back on her after the sexual assault and murder and combed her hair.
Family members stood before the judge, where they spoke about Maggie's impact on others and her loss.
Maggie Daniels' mother, Cathy Daniels, made this full statement during the plea hearing:
“Two and a half years ago, you took the life of our dear, sweet Maggie in a very violent and senseless manner. You broke our hearts and have taken us down a dark, deep path of despair. We’ve not uttered your name or given you a thought since your arrest. We don’t care what happens to you. This is about Maggie – the kind, caring, beautiful person that she was and the countless lives that she touched during her short time on earth. Our lives will never be the same; our broken hearts will never mend. There is no closure, there is no peace, but there will be justice for Maggie. Your paths will never cross again for she has inherited the Kingdom of heaven where there is no evil or hate or pain, only love. We choose love over hate, and we’ll try to live our lives in her memory.”
"Maggie we love you. We miss you. And we will never forget you," said Daniels' stepfather Bob Green.
Odom said in court that his heart goes out to the family but did not apologize for the murder.
The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility for parole.
“Life in prison is the result that the entire family of Maggie Daniels as well as all law enforcement officers involved in this investigation desired," said District Attorney David Learner. "Mr. Odom will never again be in a position to harm an innocent victim in our community.”
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