LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - The murder of Austin Moody, 17, of Sheridan sent shock waves throughout the community. Rusty Draper, 46, was arrested for the killing last year and court documents seemed to show an older man stalking the boyfriend of his teen son's former lover.
Now, Draper has pleaded guilty to murdering Moody in a drunken rage on the morning of Jan. 19, 2017. In exchange, the State of Arkansas reduced his charge to murder in the first degree from capital murder. He was sentenced to life in prison by the Grant County Circuit Court, according to court documents.
In the plea agreement, Draper admits that he went to Jacob's Cemetery near Moody's house on the morning of the murder and drank alcohol instead of going to work, contrary to a previous statement to police that he was at work.
He went on to admit that he left at around 7 a.m. and drove to Moody's home where he purposefully shot him with his Smith & Wesson .357 revolver with the intent to kill him and left his .410 rifle at the scene.
Draper is set to serve his life sentence with the Arkansas Department of Correction.
