Maintenance man admits murdering 7-year-old

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga.,None — A 20-year-old maintenance man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a 7-year-old girl at an apartment complex in Canton.

PHOTOS: Suspect walked out of complex | Vigil held for Jorelys

http://bcove.me/eoyn99a0

"I came to the conclusion that I was going to lure her in for sexual conduct with myself," he told Mills. Brunn explained how he made Rivera take her clothes off and then panicked when she wanted to go home. "I never had an idea of killing a child in my life ... I was just so terrified and scared. I didn't want her to tell her mom and dad on me and I just ... I cut her."

Brunn said he slashed the girl's throat with a knife and she had survived so he killed her by beating her in the head with her own roller skate. Brunn wrapped the girl's body, dumped it in a trash compactor, then helped search for the missing girl. Two days later, he taped a hand written note on the compactor. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation found the note and linked it to Brunn. Prosecutors also explained that they had DNA evidence from Brunn on shoes, gloves and duct tape that linked him to the murder.

"The decision to resolve this case was reached after much prayer and with the united support and concurrence of Joreyls' mother," said Moss. "The graphic nature of it (the murder), the severity of the torture involved certainly affected each and every one of us personally, emotionally and professionally."

Brunn's attorney spoke quickly with Channel 2's Richard Elliot outside the courtroom.

"He's remorseful, but a child's life was lost and he's been sentenced and that's the bottom line ladies and gentlemen," David Cannon said.
"It's over."