Cole County homicide suspect takes Alford plea

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Callaway County man has made an Alford plea to reduced charges in a 2017 Cole County homicide.

Zacchaeus D. Silva pleaded guilty earlier this month to accessory to second-degree assault in the beating death of Jerry Robertson on April 20, 2017, court records show. Silva had been indicted with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed criminal action, evidence tampering and witness tampering charges.

An Alford plea is one in which a defendant does not explicitly admit guilt, but acknowledges the state has the evidence to obtain a conviction.

Sentencing is set for July 13 before Judge Daniel Green.

A co-defendant, Robert Thrasher, was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2022.

Thrasher is incarcerated at Moberly Correctional Center.