Matthew Caylor trial for murder of Melinda Hinson, 13, in Panama Cty., FL

[TigressPen]

Police: Georgia Man Killed Fla. Teen


Registered sex offender confessed to murdering girl, 13, authorities say.


Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 7:25 a.m.


PANAMA CITY | Police say a registered sex offender from Georgia confessed to killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was discovered by a maid in a hotel room.

Mathew Caylor, 33, told investigators late Thursday that he had killed Melinda Denise Hinson, police Capt. Robert Colbert said Friday. Her body was found Thursday in a room registered to Caylor.

"It was a very detailed and very lengthy confession," Colbert said. "Investigators will be working in the coming days to validate every component."

Another man who stayed in the room the following night did not know the body was there and has been cleared of involvement in the case, police said.

Caylor, of Auburn, Ga., is charged with murder, sexual battery and failing to register as a sexual offender. He was being held in the Panama City Jail and had not yet been assigned a public defender.

As Hinson's family moved out of their room at the hotel Friday, the girl's mother said she knew something was wrong Tuesday when her daughter left to walk a neighbor's dogs and never returned.

"I kept telling them that she would not run away from me," Rhonda McNallin told the Panama City News Herald. "She is a mama's girl."

Caylor was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday after he was accused of attacking and attempting to rob two women at a Panama City Beach condominium.

When Hinson's body was found, Caylor was being held at the Bay County Jail on charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, fugitive from justice and failure to register as a sex offender.

Police said he has a lengthy history of petty crimes and sex crimes.

Hinson and her family had moved to Panama City from Henderson, Ky., in November and were living at the hotel. Caylor checked in June 28.

Authorities said they were awaiting autopsy results to determine how Hinson was killed.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20080712/

[lost indie]

Police: Georgia Man Killed Fla. Teen


Registered sex offender confessed to murdering girl, 13, authorities say.


Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 7:25 a.m.


PANAMA CITY | Police say a registered sex offender from Georgia confessed to killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was discovered by a maid in a hotel room.

Mathew Caylor, 33, told investigators late Thursday that he had killed Melinda Denise Hinson, police Capt. Robert Colbert said Friday. Her body was found Thursday in a room registered to Caylor.

"It was a very detailed and very lengthy confession," Colbert said. "Investigators will be working in the coming days to validate every component."

Another man who stayed in the room the following night did not know the body was there and has been cleared of involvement in the case, police said.

Caylor, of Auburn, Ga., is charged with murder, sexual battery and failing to register as a sexual offender. He was being held in the Panama City Jail and had not yet been assigned a public defender.

As Hinson's family moved out of their room at the hotel Friday, the girl's mother said she knew something was wrong Tuesday when her daughter left to walk a neighbor's dogs and never returned.

"I kept telling them that she would not run away from me," Rhonda McNallin told the Panama City News Herald. "She is a mama's girl."

Caylor was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday after he was accused of attacking and attempting to rob two women at a Panama City Beach condominium.

When Hinson's body was found, Caylor was being held at the Bay County Jail on charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, fugitive from justice and failure to register as a sex offender.

Police said he has a lengthy history of petty crimes and sex crimes.

Hinson and her family had moved to Panama City from Henderson, Ky., in November and were living at the hotel. Caylor checked in June 28.

Authorities said they were awaiting autopsy results to determine how Hinson was killed.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20080712/


what a nightmare for that guy...

[packy]

How sad and who would think she went to walk a dog and this happened to her. Bless her little soul. I am sorry and sending my condolences to her family and friends.

[PatC]

"Another man who stayed in the room the following night did not know the body was there and has been cleared of involvement in the case, police said."

Where in the world was she?????

[TigressPen]

"Another man who stayed in the room the following night did not know the body was there and has been cleared of involvement in the case, police said."

Where in the world was she?????


I ask the same question. Like, it's a motel room, where do you hide a body from view of anyone!

[ReddCurrlz]

This is 2 hours from me. I used to live in Panama City. I'm glad they caught the bastard, but my prayers still go out to her family. This is so sad

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) - Police say a registered sex offender from Georgia confessed to killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was discovered by a maid in a hotel room.

Mathew Caylor, 33, told investigators late Thursday that he had killed Melinda Denise Hinson, Police Capt. Robert Colbert said Friday. Her body was found Thursday in a room registered to Caylor.

"It was a very detailed and very lengthy confession," Colbert said. "Investigators will be working in the coming days to validate every component."

Another man who stayed in the room the following night did not know the body was there and has been cleared of involvement in the case, police said.

Caylor, of Auburn, Ga., is charged with murder, sexual battery and failing to register as a sexual offender. He was being held in the Panama City Jail and had not yet been assigned a public defender.

As Hinson's family moved out of their room at the hotel Friday, the girl's mother said she knew something was wrong Tuesday when her daughter left to walk a neighbor's dogs and never returned.

"I kept telling them that she would not run away from me," Rhonda McNallin told the Panama City News Herald. "She is a mama's girl."

Caylor was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday after he was accused of attacking and attempting to rob two women at a Panama City Beach condominium.

When Hinson's body was found, Caylor was being held at the Bay County Jail on charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, fugitive from justice and failure to register as a sex offender.

Police said he has a lengthy history of petty crimes and sex crimes.

Hinson and her family had moved to Panama City from Henderson, Ky., in November and were living at the hotel. Caylor checked in June 28.

Authorities said they were awaiting autopsy results to determine how Hinson was killed.
http://www.nbc15online.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6cc759d2-bb8e-4f1b-acb6-bc6a375be1cd&rss=217

[5boxersmom]

Another child dead because of another pervert. Just makes me sick.

That poor little girl and her family.:1222423:

[annalyzer]

I ask the same question. Like, it's a motel room, where do you hide a body from view of anyone!


Under the bedspread. In a recent murder case a woman and her baby went undetected on the first search of a house where they lay on their bed under the comforter.

[awakening2lite]

Under the bedspread. In a recent murder case a woman and her baby went undetected on the first search of a house where they lay on their bed under the comforter.

Wasn't that the Entwistle case?

[annalyzer]

Wasn't that the Entwistle case?

Yes thank you, couldn't think of the name right off.

[5boxersmom]

I have saw two shows where there was a dead body in a motel room. One was under the bed. I think that was CSI.

Then there is a movie, I think it is called Four Rooms. There is a dead woman between the mattress and box springs.

None of these are true stories but it makes you wonder.

[TigressPen]

Under the bedspread. In a recent murder case a woman and her baby went undetected on the first search of a house where they lay on their bed under the comforter.

If the dude who rented that room after she was killed didn't see her body in his bed, then he was blind. LOL Killer had to have stuck her beneath the bed. That poor child.

[Breezy]

I don't have the link to the article just off hand but I did read one last night stating that housekeeping had found the little girls body under the bed.

The article gave details on the maids reactions and information from onlookers who were also at the scene and staying at the hotel at that time. IIRC, it also mentioned something about tape being over her mouth.

[Breezy]

The article also gave the name of the man who had stayed in there along with comments from him. he had stated that when he entered the room the air conditioner was running full blast. He had checked in late that night...went to sleep and woke up early to leave. IIRC, he was a truck driver.

I'll see if I can find the link.

[Faith]

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll116/helpfindthemissing/matthew.jpg
NAME: MATHEW LEE CAYLOR


RACE: W

SEX: M


YEAR OF BIRTH: 1975

HEIGHT: 5'11"


WEIGHT: 165 POUNDS

HAIR COLOR: BRO


EYE COLOR: BRO

SCARS/MARKS/TATTOOS: TAT B ARM


INCARCERATED: YES

ADDRESS: ***INCARCERATED***


COUNTY: Henry

CITY: MCDONOUGH STATE: GA


RESIDENCE VERIFICATION DATE: 07/10/2008

ZIP: 30253


CRIME: CHILD MOLESTATION

CONVICTION DATE: 02/21/2001


CONVICTION STATE: GA

REGISTRATION DATE: 09/16/2001


ABSCONDER/PREDATOR: NO
http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/SexualOffenderDetails.jsp?action=SexualOffenderDet ails&sexualoffenderId=468880RA0

[annalyzer]

If the dude who rented that room after she was killed didn't see her body in his bed, then he was blind. LOL Killer had to have stuck her beneath the bed. That poor child.

I thought the two men were renting the room together and there were two beds.

[Faith]

http://www.wsbtv.com/2008/0711/16855660.jpg
Mathew Caylor

http://www.wsbtv.com/2008/0711/16855730.jpg
Melinda Denise Hinson, 13-year-old found murdered in a Panama City motel

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- A registered sex offender from Georgia has confessed to killing a 13-year-old Panama City girl whose body was discovered by a maid in an area hotel room, police said.

Mathew Caylor told investigators late Thursday that he had killed the girl, Melinda Denise Hinson, two days earlier, according to Police Capt. Robert Colbert. He said the girl's body was found Thursday in a room registered to the 33-year-old Caylor.

"It was a very detailed and very lengthy confession. Investigators will be working in the coming days to validate every component," Colbert said.

Caylor, of Auburn, Ga., is charged with murder, sexual battery and failing to register as a sexual offender. He is being held in the Panama City Jail.

# ON THE WEB: Find Registered Sex Offenders In Your Neighborhood

He was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday after he was accused of attacking and attempting to rob two women at a Panama City Beach condominium.

At the time Hinson's body was found, Colbert was being held at the Bay County Jail on charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, fugitive from justice and failure to register as a sex offender.

Investigators had Caylor transferred to the Panama City Jail for questioning Thursday night. Colbert said Caylor has a lengthy history of petty crimes and sex crimes that includes numerous misdemeanor charges and two felony charges.

Melinda Denise Hinson
Melinda Denise Hinson, 13-year-old found murdered in a Panama City motel

Hinson and her family had moved to Panama City from Kentucky in November and were living at the hotel. Caylor checked into the hotel on June 28.

Hinson's family reported her missing late Tuesday after she left to walk a neighbor's dogs and did not return to the family's hotel room.

Authorities said they are awaiting autopsy results on how Hinson was killed.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/16855027/detail.html

[Faith]

13-Year-Old Girl's Body Found In Panhandle Hotel Room

POSTED: 8:06 am EDT July 11, 2008

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Panama City Police are investigating after the body of a 13-year-old girl was found at a Panama City hotel.

Melinda Denise Hinson was reported missing on Tuesday from the Valu-Lodge on West Highway 98, where she lived with her family.

Her mother and mother's boyfriend hung fliers throughout the area asking for assistance in finding her.

A maid found Hinson's body on Thursday under the bed of another hotel room.

The medical examiner will determine a cause of death.

Detectives gathered evidence and conducted interviews with Hinson's family and the person who had just checked out of the room where the body was found.

Police told WMBB-TV they believe they will be able to solve the case quickly with the evidence collected.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/16851682/detail.html

[Faith]

annalyzer, this answers your question..

Ex-local teen is killed in Fla.

By Beth Smith (Contact)
Saturday, July 12, 2008

A former Henderson teen was killed this week in Panama City, Fla., and a convicted sex offender has been charged with the crime.

Mathew Caylor, 33, Auburn, Ga., faces charges of murder, sexual battery and failure to register as a sex offender in the death of 13-year-old Melinda Denise Hinson. Her body was found Thursday in a room rented by Caylor at an extended-stay motel in Panama City.

Hinson -- who was once a student at North Middle School -- had moved with her mother, Rhonda McNallin, and her brother to Florida about six months ago to live with her mother's boyfriend. They all had been living at the same motel where Caylor was living, according to relatives.

However, family members say that Hinson didn't really know Caylor.

Capt. Robert Colbert with the Panama City Police Department said that the police and members of Hinson's family had been searching for the girl since her disappearance Tuesday evening.

"Shortly after 6 p.m. she went to walk the neighbor's dog," he said.

The layout of the motel is such that there are rooms on both the front and back of the building.

Hinson, her mother, brother and her mother's boyfriend, lived on the second floor on the back side of the motel and the neighbor lived on the first floor on the front side of the motel -- two doors down from Caylor, Colbert said.

When Hinson didn't return home, her mother contacted the neighbor. The neighbor said that the girl never arrived to walk the dog, Colbert said.

The police were notified and began searching the area, Colbert said. Authorities also entered Hinson into the National Crime Information Center as a missing person.

As the investigation began to develop, Colbert said detectives moved from viewing this as a case of a runaway to one involving "suspicious circumstances."

Then on Thursday, Colbert said the search for Hinson came to an end.

"Shortly before noon, we were notified that her body had been discovered in a room rented by Caylor," Colbert said, adding that motel staff found the girl's body.

As for Caylor, he had not lived in the room since Tuesday -- which is the day that Hinson disappeared, Colbert said.

Caylor -- an employee at a bar at Panama City Beach -- had been jailed late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning in connection with a home invasion on Panama Beach, Colbert said.

After Caylor's arrest on the home invasion charge, the jail contacted the motel to let the staff know that Caylor would not be coming back to his room, Colbert said.

So the motel rented the room to a couple who was passing through, Colbert said. They stayed the night on Wednesday and left. The couple did not see any evidence of foul play in the room, Colbert said.

"(On Thursday), they were found and brought in as persons of interest" and then cleared of any involvement, Colbert said.

"I can't say how or where Melinda's body was recovered," Colbert said. But, "The couple spent the night in the room and was never aware that her body was in the room."

Police then focused their attention on Caylor, Colbert said.

During an interview with the alleged suspect on Thursday night, Caylor "openly and freely accepted responsibility" for the death of Hinson, Colbert said. "He provided us with his account" of the killing, Colbert said.

Authorities are not releasing the cause of death at this time pending the results of an autopsy performed Friday, Colbert said.

A convicted sex offender, Caylor moved to Panama City at the end of June and began renting a room at the motel on June 28, Colbert said.

"He is a convicted sex offender in Georgia ...," Colbert said. "(The charges in Georgia) stem from a case involving a 14-year-old girl."

Caylor is being held without bond at a detention facility in Bay County. His initial court appearance on the murder charge and other offenses is scheduled for today.

Although a recent resident of Panama City, Hinson still has strong ties to Henderson and most of her family still lives here.

"She was born and raised in Henderson," said Henderson resident Betty Hinson, Melinda's grandmother.

"It's really hard," she said of her granddaughter's death. "All I want to do is get her back here to bury her."

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/jul/12/ex-local-teen-is-killed-in-fla/

[annalyzer]

yes I read the OP story again and then realized that the two men weren't rooming together. The OP story said the room was registered to the perp so that's why I was thinking that.

"Mathew Caylor, 33, told investigators late Thursday that he had killed Melinda Denise Hinson, police Capt. Robert Colbert said Friday. Her body was found Thursday in a room registered to Caylor."

[Faith]

Police: Henderson girl killed in FL

Posted: July 12, 2008 07:31 PM

Updated: July 12, 2008 07:31 PM

Police say a Henderson teen was murdered at a hotel in Panama City, Florida after they say she was kidnapped.

Melinda Hinson, 13, recently moved to Panama City from Henderson with her family. Detectives think she was kidnapped Tuesday night. Her body was discovered Thursday.

Hinson was found in the hotel room of 33-year-old Matthew Caylor. Panama City Police say Caylor has confessed to killing Hinson.

According to an arrest affidavit, Caylor raped Hinson, and then choked her with his hands and a telephone cord.

Caylor is a registered sex offender in Georgia, but failed to register in Panama City.

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=8665983&nav=menu54_2

[Faith]

>snip< from article

Detectives believe Caylor kidnapped the girl sometime between 6 and 7PM Tuesday night and took her to his room.According to the arrest affidavit, Caylor raped Hinson, and then began choking her with his hands. When she resisted, he used a telephone cord to strangle her, then shoved her body under the bed.

Some of the other guests at the Value Lodge say they too had recent run-ins with Caylor."He was like, hey what's up, just talking. And he was like, do you want to have sex. I said no, and then he was like, you want a beer? I'm like no and then I left," said Karla, a 14-year-old who Caylor allegedly approached.

"I used to take my brother and sister up here swimming and my daughter and it just really scares me that this kind of stuff goes on," William Hinton, a concerned parent said."I assure you that we view him as one of the most dangerous of offenders and we will bring every resource to bear to assure the most severe punishment possible," State Attorney Steve Meadows said.Caylor is a registered sex offender in Georgia.He is being charged with murder, sexual battery, and failing to register as a sex offender. He was already charged with home invasion robbery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and failure to register as a sex offender, from the Panama City Beach incident.

:1187603408.CR.Mothe

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25647280/

[TigressPen]

>snip< from article

Detectives believe Caylor kidnapped the girl sometime between 6 and 7PM Tuesday night and took her to his room.According to the arrest affidavit, Caylor raped Hinson, and then began choking her with his hands. When she resisted, he used a telephone cord to strangle her, then shoved her body under the bed.

Some of the other guests at the Value Lodge say they too had recent run-ins with Caylor."He was like, hey what's up, just talking. And he was like, do you want to have sex. I said no, and then he was like, you want a beer? I'm like no and then I left," said Karla, a 14-year-old who Caylor allegedly approached.

"I used to take my brother and sister up here swimming and my daughter and it just really scares me that this kind of stuff goes on," William Hinton, a concerned parent said."I assure you that we view him as one of the most dangerous of offenders and we will bring every resource to bear to assure the most severe punishment possible," State Attorney Steve Meadows said.Caylor is a registered sex offender in Georgia.He is being charged with murder, sexual battery, and failing to register as a sex offender. He was already charged with home invasion robbery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and failure to register as a sex offender, from the Panama City Beach incident.

:1187603408.CR.Mothe

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25647280/



This is an extremely dangerous man!! The motel said after they were contacted by police that Caylor wouldn't be coming back they rented the room to a couple. Surely, they sent housekeeping in to clean the room prior to renting it out for the night! Why didn't housekeeping discover her body then. Don't they check under the beds to make sure occupants didn't leave anything? :smiley_aasg:

[Heidi J.]

:1222423:

[ReddCurrlz]

Police: 13-year-old raped, strangled (with MUG)http://images.onset.freedom.com/nwfdn/k3ybli-caylor.jpg
S. Brady Calhoun
July 12, 2008 - 11:11PM

A 13-year-old girl found dead in a Valu-Lodge hotel room this week was raped and then strangled, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by the Panama City Police Department.

Matthew Lee Caylor, 33, a registered sex offender from Georgia, told Detective Melanie Law that he had "vaginal sexual intercourse" with Melinda Denise Hinson between 6 and 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 140.

He told Law he put his hands around Hinson's throat and choked Melinda while she struggled and attempted to get away. Caylor then grabbed a telephone cord and wrapped it around Melinda's neck and strangled her to death, according to Law's report, filed at the Bay County Jail.

After she was dead, Caylor pushed Melinda's body under the bed "and placed the bed frame on her head," Law wrote.

Melinda's body went undetected from 7 p.m. Tuesday night until housekeeping found her about noon Thursday.

Caylor is charged with an open count of murder and sexual battery in the Hinson case and is being held without bond in the Bay County Jail. He also faces charges from an unrelated incident on Panama City Beach just hours before Melinda went missing.

According to Bay County Sheriff's Office investigators, Caylor has been arrested several times every year for nearly a decade. Caylor's offenses include child molestation, aggravated battery, theft, hit and run and making terrorist threats, investigators said.

Caylor, 33, of 1569 Wynfield Court, Auburn, broke probation in Georgia and came to Panama City in late June. He told investigators he had been staying at the Valu-Lodge since June 28.

Two hours before he killed Hinson, Caylor attacked two women at a Panama City Beach condominium, investigators said. The women fought Caylor off and screamed for help, forcing him to flee the area.

At 6 p.m. that same day, Hinson went missing. Panama City police officials said they were notified of Hinson's disappearance shortly after 8 p.m. and arrived within minutes.

Hinson and her family moved to Bay County from Henderson, Ky., late last year and were living in the Valu-Lodge. Hinson was going to walk a neighbor's dog just a few doors down from Caylor's room when he attacked her, investigators said.

"She was a wonderful baby," Belinda Thompson, a family friend who also lived at the Valu-Lodge, said Friday.

Everyone who knew the family was grieved over the loss, Thompson added, saying that the girl and her kin were kind and generous.

"They are a sweet little family," Thompson said. "It's about to tear my heart up."

[Nut44x4]

Updated: 4:39 PM Oct 26, 2009

Matthew Caylor 1st Degree Murder Trial
A man accused of murdering and raping a thirteen year old girl last year is getting ready to face trial.

A man accused of murdering and raping a thirteen year old girl last year is getting ready to face trial.

Matthew Caylor was indicted for the murder of Melissa Hinson last July after her body was found at a motel on West Highway 98 in St. Andrew.

Caylor, a registered sex offender from Georgia, is accused of raping Hinson at the Valu-Lodge on West 98, then strangling her with a telephone cord. She was reported missing after leaving her room to visit a friend in another room at the motel.

Motel employees discovered her body stuffed under a bed in Caylor’s motel room several days later.

Jury selection started this morning from a pool of approximately 70 prospective candidates.

Opening arguments will start Tuesday and the trial is expected to last approximately five days.

If convicted of first degree murder Caylor could be facing the death penalty.

http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/66139157.html