The Nashville man, in prison on an unrelated sentence, made what he thought was a death bed confession when he suffered a heart attack, admitting to the murder of Joyce Goodener on July 5, 1995, according to WSMV.
Washington believed he wouldn't live to face the consequences. Turns out, he did.
Prison guard James Tomlinson relayed Washington's confession in court.
"He kind of got as best as he could, motioned, and said, 'I have something to tell you. I have to get something off my conscience and you need to hear this.' He said, 'I killed somebody. I beat her to death,'" Tomlinson told the jury.
Washington tried to take back his statement after he survived the heart attack, but it was too late. He was found guilty late last month and now faces a life sentence, the Global Dispatch reports.
Washington's confession puts him amongst the likes of Geraldine Kelly, Tor Hepso and Henry Alexander, who all confessed to killings on their death beds. These killers, however, passed on shortly after clearing their minds.
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Read more about the case at WSMV.com.
