KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Suspect Confesses to Missing Hanford Man's Murder, Leads Deputies to Body

Suspect Confesses to Missing Hanford Man's Murder, Leads Deputies to Body

By: Ashley Ritchie

The family of 65-year-old Robert Lee Adams made an emotional plea to the public last August.

"Just a sweet old guy. He wouldn't hurt anybody. If people could keep their eye out for him," Ann Stockton, Adams' daughter, said at a press conference.

But more than a year later, Adams' family was no closer to closure.

Even as 38-year-old Ricky Eric McConnaughy, who'd been found with Adams' truck and personnel belongings, sat in the Tulare County Jail on unrelated charges.

McConnaughy was then moved to Kings County this September, charged with the murder of Robert Lee Adams.

He confessed October 1st.

"His information was there was a short altercation in which he struck Mr. Adams and Mr. Adams fell to the ground. And he checked on him after some time and Mr. Adams was dead," Commander Robert Thayer, Kings County Sheriff's Department, said.

Deputies say McConnaughy did small jobs around the house for his alleged victim.

He told deputies he'd buried Adams' body in a riverbed next to the Farmersville River near Farmersville High School.

"What was left mostly were bones and was in a type of bag just as the suspect had described," Kings County Sheriff Chris Jordan said.

But it took deputies 27 days after the discovery to notify the public.

They say it was because of a plea deal with McConnaughy.

"One of the main pieces is we would not announce locating the body until after his daughter's birthday. He wanted her to have a birthday that was a day of peace," Jordan said.

But as one daughter got a day of peace, another got an answer to the question she'd asked 14 months ago.

"I'd like to know where my daddy is," Stockton said at the press conference in August 2008.

Deputies say Adams' family finally has closure and can give their father a proper burial.

As for his alleged killer, by leading police to Adams' body, McConnaughy has avoided the death penalty.

McConnaughy now faces 15 years to life in prison.

He'll be transferred to state prison where he'll serve the sentences for the Tulare County charges and whatever Kings County charges he may be convicted of.

McConnaughy is scheduled to be sentenced January 11th.