Patton Pleads Guilty to Murder, Abduction in Springfield Case

Defendant David Alan Patton plead guilty today to the murder of Stephen A. Carr and the abduction of Carr's girlfriend in a Springfield case dating from September.

Patton stated under questioning by Judge R. Terrence Ney that he came to the decision to plead guilty himself under the advisement of his lawyers and that he fully understood the consequences of pleading guilty.

Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ian Rodway gave a brief synopsis of the events that occurred September 12, 2010 outlining how Patton came into the house where Carr and his long-time girlfriend Rina Cabrera were watching a Redskins game, with a gun in his hand. He stated that Patton tied up Carr and Cabrera with zip-ties on the floor. Carr began to struggle, at which point Cabrera ran out of the house and heard what sounded like a gunshot. Patton pursued her and brought her back in the house, where Carr appeared to already be dead. Carr's roommate was, at the time, across the street and noticing the commotion, came into the house. Patton told him to get on the floor, but shortly after doing so, the roommate managed to run for the door and down the street. When Patton pursued him, Cabrera grabbed a gun that was on the living room table and hid it in the kitchen, then locked herself in an upstairs bathroom and called 911. Police apprehended Patton in the backyard shortly after arriving on the scene.

Rodway also mentioned that a previous altercation between Carr and Patton was reported June 11, 2010, when Carr got a warrant for a misdemeanor assault against Patton. The incident occurred when Carr was trying to back into his house's driveway on Field Master in Springfield, with Patton behind him in a car. Patton turned himself in under that warrant on July 6.

Cabrera was present for the plea along with several of Carr's family members. Rodway said that Cabrera and the family seemed satisfied with the guilty plea, saying, "Part of my job is to find out what a victim's family is comfortable with."

Now that Patton has plead guilty, Judge Ney will have the final say in determining his sentence, with no opportunity for appeal. Ney said that the count of first degree murder could have a sentence ranging from 20 years to a life sentence in a state penitentiary, with a fine of not more than $100,000, while the abduction charge's sentence could range from probation to 10 years in prison. Public defender Robert Frank made a motion for a pre-sentence investigation that was approved by Ney. The sentence will be determined at an August 19 hearing.

Further testimony from Cabrera and the policemen at the scene can be read in our article on .