Texan Who Confessed in Church to Slaying Gets Life in Prison

BROWNWOOD, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who confessed in front of his church congregation to the 2016 beating death of a fellow church-goer has been sentenced to life in prison.

Ryan Riggs pleaded guilty Friday to capital murder in the death of 25-year-old Chantay Blankinship. Riggs, who is 22, won't have the possibility of parole.

Riggs and Blankinship both attended the church in the community of Lake Brownwood, located about 170 miles (270 kilometers) southwest of Dallas.

His November 2017 church confession came about a year and a half after Blankinship was killed. A week before his confession, authorities had released a sketch of the suspect that was created using DNA found at the crime scene.

Authorities say Riggs saw the sketch, went on the run for a few days and then confessed.