Helton pleads guilty to manslaughter

ROCKINGHAM — Rufus Alexander Helton, 53, of Cordova, has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the death of Joe Braddock Jr. in 2016.

After weeks of deliberation beginning on June 7, and in the second attempt at reaching a verdict in the case, Helton pled guilty to the manslaughter charge. The District Attorney’s office was pursuing a conviction for first degree murder.

Helton will serve a minimum sentence of 64 months and maximum sentence of 89 months. He was placed in Richmond County Jail on June 25.

In January of 2019, the jury tasked with deciding the fate of Helton could not arrive at a verdict, resulting in a mistrial.

Helton served two days in jail pre-trial. He was represented by Jonathan Silverman.