UPDATE: Suspect in Tucker homicide arrested, pleads guilty
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Last updated 8/4/2011 at Noon
UPDATE: On Sunday, July 31, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff's Department responded to a call of a white female being discovered dead in an open field on Elizabeth Street off of South Teal Road in Orange County.
Upon arrival, deputies confirmed that the female was deceased and the Orange County Homicide Investigation Team was called to the scene. The investigators processed the scene and determined that it appeared to be a homicide.
The female was identified as 35 year old Cindy Lynne Tucker, of Nederland. Tucker was transported to the Jefferson County Morgue where an autopsy was performed on Aug. 1 by Forensic Pathologist Dr. Tommy Brown.
As the result of the autopsy, Dr. Brown ruled the manner of death as homicide and the cause of death as affixation due to strangulation.
According to the affidavit of probable cause and order of commitment given to The Record Newspapers, Dempsey Wade Vercher, of West Orange, was discovered as being the last person to be present with Tucker prior to the discovery of her body.
Investigators located Vercher at a home on Victoria Street in Beaumont at approximately 11 a.m. on Wednesday. He was transported to the Orange County Sheriff's Office for questioning where he confessed to the murder of Tucker.
According to the affidavit from Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Judge David Peck's office, Dempsey stated he and Tucker travelled to Elizabeth Road at which time they engaged in a physical altercation. Vercher said during the altercation he struck Tucker in the face multiple times with his elbow. He then said he proceeded to strangle Tucker in a choke hold until she was unconscious. He then used his shirt to tie around her neck in a tight manner to ensure Tucker was no longer breathing prior to leaving the area.
Judge Peck has set the bond for Vercher at $1 million.
The investigation is still continuing and the Orange County Sheriff's Department is asking anyone with any information concerning this homicide to please contact them at 409-883-2612.
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