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Guilty Plea Reached in Ryan Champion Murder Case

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A Trigg County man charged with orchestrating the killings of his parents, sister and an acquaintance has avoided the death penalty by accepting a plea deal. 

Ryan Champion pleaded guilty to four murder counts and one count of kidnapping in court today.

After the slayings, which took place in October 2014, Champion portrayed himself as the lone survivor of an attack on his family living near Cadiz.  

Champion said 22-year-old Vito Riservato of Hopkinsville had killed the family and he survived by killing Riservato.  But prosecutors have said it was a murder-for-hire scheme with a twist that ended with Riservato's slaying.

Commonwealth's Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins says the remaining family members were seeking closure with the plea agreement.  Champion will be sentenced January 27.

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.
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