Patricia Batts, accused in the murder of her grandson Alex Hurley in February 2020, pleaded guilty on Friday to deliberate homicide.
In a plea deal prosecutors say took months of negotiations, Batts pleaded guilty to three of five charges against her: deliberate homicide, criminal child endangerment, and tampering with a witness or informant.
The Gallatin County Attorney's Office decided in January 2023 not to pursue the death penalty against Batts, meaning she could be sentenced to life in prison for the torture and death of then-12-year-old Hurley.
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A sentencing hearing is set for July, and Alicia Davis, Hurley’s mother, says she intends to make a victim impact statement.
This is the last piece of a five-part puzzle; already four people have been charged and subsequently sentenced in the case, Batts being the last.
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