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PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) — A man who admitted to killing a woman in north Portland following what he claimed was a fight over drugs has been sentenced to serve 17 years in prison.
Terry Hickman, 58, who is homeless, received the nearly two-decade sentence in exchange for a guilty plea on one count of manslaughter in the first degree and attempted assault in the second degree as part of a deal with prosecutors.
According to court documents, Hickman told a friend that he killed 29-year-old Dallas Boyd several days after strangling her to death in mid-July 2018 in north Portland.
That friend then contacted police, allegedly telling them Hickman claimed he had gotten into an argument with Boyd inside his van after they both did drugs and then he choked her until she stopped breathing.
Police said they later went to that friend’s apartment and detectives talked with Hickman – where court documents reveal he told them about where he left Boyd’s body.
Officers said they were told she was still inside his van, where they later found her.
According to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, an autopsy determined Boyd’s death to be “asphyxia due to manual strangulation”.
Less than a month after Hickman was arrested, he was indicted by a grand jury on one count of murder. However, due to the plea deal in exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to the lesser charges of manslaughter and attempted assault.
Multiple members of Boyd’s family were in the courtroom Wednesday morning at the Multnomah County Courthouse to witness the sentencing, including her fiancé, Michael Riggins.
“Losing Dallas has been life-changing for me and for all of us, I can’t believe it’s me telling a judge how wonderful a person is when the man who killed her is sitting right there,” Riggins said.
Riggins also told the court he and Boyd decided to separate after she fell into a bad addiction with drugs, but he always thought she’d come back to him.
He said it has been devastating to know that will now never happen.
“Dallas was a loving mother and even better friend, and those know her miss her very much,” he said.
Boyd’s sister also told the judge she partially blames the court system for being too lenient on Hickman following his prior crimes and allowing for his release before Boyd’s death. She also gave Hickman a small, brown Bible to take to prison.
Multiple members of Boyd’s family also told the court they tried to get her help for years to fight her addiction, but they were not successful.
The judge accepted Hickman’s 17-year plea deal. When asked if he wanted to make a statement, Hickman’s attorney said his client felt “unable” to say anything.
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