A man who recently claimed he had an alibi in the murder of his young Ohio bride-to-be twelve years ago has now pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
John Carter, 35, entered his plea on Friday for the death of his fiancée, Katelyn Markham, who was 21 years old at the time.
Carter could face up to 36 months in prison when he is sentenced on July 18.
Katelyn's father, Dave Markham, expressed his disappointment, saying, "I have so much to say. Hardly feels like justice for Katelyn. But I understand and support the Butler County prosecutors."
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser added, "This brings absolute undeniable finality to the question of who is responsible and accountable for the disappearance and death of Katelyn Markham."
Jessica Schmidt, an anchor and reporter for local Fox affiliate WXIX, shared updates from the hearing on social media.
In one video, Carter is seen leaving the courtroom in tears, supported by a woman in his group.
He remains free on a $1 million bond until his sentencing hearing.
Previously, Carter's defense team had announced plans to provide evidence showing he was not at the scene when the crime occurred, according to a Notice of Alibi.
The notice stated he was at another location from the late hours of August 13, 2011, to the early morning of August 14, 2011, when Markham was killed.
Carter reported Markham missing on August 14, 2011, telling 911 operators that he last saw her at her home the night before.
When he returned to her house, he found her keys and purse but noticed her cell phone was missing.
For months, hundreds of volunteers, some from other states, searched for Markham.
Over a year later, in April 2013, a man scavenging for scrap metal in an Indiana forest discovered a skull in a plastic bag and called 911.
Additional skeletal remains were found nearby, about 30 miles from Markham's home.
Using dental records, a pathologist identified the remains as Markham’s and determined she had been murdered, though the exact cause of death remains unknown.
On March 22, 2023, Carter was arrested.
Initially, he agreed to speak with detectives but later requested an attorney.
He pleaded not guilty and posted a $1 million bond.
Details of the long-standing case and allegations against Carter have emerged.
Prosecutor Gmoser revealed investigators found an undated typed poem at Carter’s mother’s home.
Part of the poem read, "Deep down I love her. You want to kill her. But I love her. She must die. I can’t kill her. Yes you can. No. Yes."
Gmoser suggested this indicated an internal conflict within Carter.
An affidavit and search warrant listed over 125 points establishing probable cause implicating Carter in Markham's murder.
The affidavit noted that plastic material, possibly used in landscaping or construction, was found wrapped around Markham's remains, and investigators believed they might find a similar roll at Carter's mother’s home.
Carter reportedly gave conflicting accounts of the events of August 13, 2011.
Police observed he had red scratches on August 14, which he attributed to cutting himself with an electric razor.
The affidavit also mentioned Carter describing Markham as "huffy" and "upset" that night and admitting to deleting text messages between them during the critical hours of 7:53 and 11:36 PM.
Additionally, Carter allegedly showed signs of deception during polygraph tests conducted in 2011 and 2014.
A woman reported to investigators that Markham felt "trapped" in her relationship with Carter, citing his heavy drug use and pornography habits.
She also mentioned that Markham was unhappy with Carter's demands and possessive behavior, and that she had confided in her about feeling uncomfortable with some of the sexual activities Carter wanted.
Markham's family is planning a tribute and a victim impact letter-writing event on Saturday to honor her memory.
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