THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 1995 TAG: 9512160309
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: GREENEVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
A trucker pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of women he met at truck stops, including one whose body was found in southwest Virginia.
Sean Patrick Goble, 29, of Asheboro, N.C., was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.
Goble is suspected in similar killings in several states although his attorneys say they believe he is involved only in three he has confessed to.
Berkeley Bell, Greene County prosecutor, said, ``I'm sure Mr. Goble is still a suspect in other crimes.''
An official with an Ohio-based task force investigating similar slayings did not immediately return a phone call Friday about the matter.
Goble also faces charges in the murder of another woman in North Carolina. Prosecutors in Tennessee say Goble is expected to plead guilty to second-degree murder in North Carolina and get another life sentence.
Criminal Court Judge James Beckner told Goble he doubted he would ever be paroled.
``He's remorseful,'' said Duane Slone, one of Goble's attorneys.
But prosecutors said he has not shown remorse.
The women killed were known or suspected prostitutes who frequented truck stops. Their bodies were dumped along interstate highways.
Goble confessed the three killings to authorities after he was arrested in North Carolina in April. Authorities in other states wanted to talk to him about similar deaths.
``Once he stopped talking, that shut down those other investigations,'' said Al Schmutzer, prosecutor for Jefferson County.
Schmutzer said there were not aggravating factors that would allow him to seek the death penalty against Goble.
Goble pleaded guilty to suffocating Alice Rebecca Hanes, 36, of Columbus, Ohio, at a truck stop in Jefferson County along Interstate 81. Her body was found March 19 in Kingsport.
``He put her head between his legs and held her until she was no longer breathing,'' Schmutzer said.
Goble also pleaded guilty to strangling Brenda Kay Hagy, 45, of Bloomington, Ind., at a Greene County truck stop on I-81. Her body was found Jan. 23 in Washington County, Va.
Bell said Goble strangled her with such force that a bone near her neck was broken. Her leg was run over by a tractor-trailer truck.
A plastic bag found near Ms. Hagy's body had a fingerprint that matched Goble, who has records for misdemeanor violations.
In the statements, he told authorities he lashed out at the women after he had arguments with them.
Bell and Schmutzer said they do not know when Goble will be sent to face charges in North Carolina. They said he will serve his life sentences in Tennessee.
Goble is accused in Orange County, N.C., in the death of Sherry Mansur, 34, of Clearwater, Fla. Her body was found Feb. 19 in Guilford County, N.C.
KEYWORDS: MURDER TRIAL GUILTY PLEA SENTENCING by CNB