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NC woman pleads guilty in polygamist sect murders

Posted: 3:25 PM Feb 18, 2013
Reporter: Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- A member of a polygamist cult is pleading guilty to her role in the North Carolina shooting deaths of a 4-year-old boy who offended the group's leader and a woman who sought to leave.

LaRhonda Renee Smith pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder in the slayings of 28-year-old Antoinetta McKoy and 4-year-old Jadon Higganbothan. Smith was sentenced to between 23 and 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Smith and two other women were followers of Pete Moses, who lead a group called the Black Hebrews. The adults and their children lived together in Durham and later in Teller County, Colorado.

Moses shot Jadon in the head after the boy made a gesture toward another child that Moses thought indicated Jadon was gay.