Idaho man pleads guilty to rape and murder after innocent suspect spent 20 years behind bars
Brian Dripps addresses Judge Joel Tingey during his plea hearing at the Bonneville County Courthouse on Tuesday 9 February 2021 in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
((Associated Press))A man from Idaho has pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of a teenage neighbour, after an innocent suspect spent 20 years in prison for the crimes.
During an appearance in a Bonneville County Courtroom on Tuesday, Brian Dripps, 55, admitted to raping and killing 18-year-old Angie Dodge inside her apartment in 1996.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors will recommend that Mr Dripps serves life in prison, but be granted parole in 20 years, according to CBS News.
Another man, Christopher Tapp, served 20 years of a 30-year prison sentence for the crimes after he wrongly confessed to them in 1997.
Mr Tapp later claimed he was innocent, but was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 1998.
He was released in 2017 and finally exonerated in 2019 based on a genetic family tree, which many of Mr Dripps' relatives had uploaded DNA to.
Dripps confessed after officers matched his DNA to that of a cigarette butt he had thrown away close to the crime scene.
Following Dripps' confession, Ms Dodge’s brother Brent told East Idaho News: “Today was a good day in that there's some finality to it.
“As we heard Brian Dripps plead guilty and admit to killing my sister and to raping her, there was some finality there that we've got the right guy this time and we're looking forward to healing and going through the process of grieving.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Idaho Falls Police Department Public Information Officer Jessica Clements said: “We would like to thank the Idaho Attorney Generals Office for their diligent efforts to see this case through the prosecutorial stages and in reaching this plea agreement — which included Mr Dripps admitting his guilt in court this morning.”
She added: “We hope that Carol and the Dodge family may feel some measure of peace as they process the hearing today and the upcoming sentencing.”
Dripps will be sentenced in Idaho on 27 April.
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