Georgia drifter sentenced to life for killing woman in Tennessee

<p>A hitchhiker accused of killing an Oklahoma woman who gave him a ride pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.</p><p>Bobby Joe McCauley, 30, entered the plea Wednesday in Henderson County Circuit Court to avoid a trial on first-degree murder charges and a possible death sentence, defense lawyer George Googe said.</p><p>McCauley also wanted to spare his victim's family, who live in Franklin, the trauma of a trial, Googe said.</p><p>"Nobody, including him, wanted to put the family through a trial," Googe said.</p><p>McCauley admitted killing Amanda Phillips Bateman, 29, of Chandler, Okla., and dumping her body in the Natchez Trace State Park in Henderson County early on March 21. Her body was found March 23 by horseback riders in the park.</p><p>Family members said Bateman frequently picked up hitchhikers so she could talk to them about her Christian faith.</p><p>An anonymous tip helped authorities capture McCauley on March 30 at a truck stop in Harbor Creek, Pa.</p><p>McCauley was described by police as a drifter who frequented truck stops, often hitchhiked and had ties throughout the country. He has a history of violent offenses and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.</p><p>"When someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, and it appears that they may be a danger to themselves and others, society may need to look at putting them in a place where they won't harm themselves and they won't harm others," Googe said.</p><p>Authorities say Bateman called her family at about 2 a.m. March 21, saying she was near mile marker 55 in Haywood County and had picked up a hitchhiker. When she did not arrive at her family's home in Franklin, the family contacted the telephone company and learned that Bateman's cell phone had been used to call McCauley's mother in Georgia.</p><p>Brenda McCauley gave a formal statement to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that her son called her from Arkansas at about 8 a.m. on March 21 and admitted killing a woman. She also told authorities that her son hitchhiked from various truck stops around the country.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cdcca0)</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cdcdfc)</p>

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