Moniteau County man admits to killing baby
A Fortuna man pleaded guilty to murder Friday in the killing of a baby.
Matthew Hamm pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse in Moniteau County. In his plea Hamm admitted to seriously injuring the baby called “O.H.” in court documents, causing his death on May 5, 2017 by hitting him in the head and not seeking medical attention. He also admitted to disposing of the baby’s body. According to court documents, Hamm burned the infant’s body and investigators recovered skeletal remains.
During an interrogation Hamm told investigators the day the child died he was aggravated that “he was stuck at home and that a family member had not showed up to get the child,” according to court documents.
The murder charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The abandoning a corpse charge can draw up to four years in prison.
Sentencing in the murder case and an unrelated drug case against Hamm is set for Feb. 15.
