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 faces a sentence of life in prison for the torture and death of then-12-year-old Hurley.
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.
A sentencing hearing is set for July, and Alicia Davis, Hurley’s mother, says she intends to make a victim impact statement.
