ST. LOUIS — Earl Cox, the man accused of killing Angie Housman, pleaded guilty to molesting another girl.
On Friday, Cox pleaded guilty to four counts of sodomy with a victim less than 14 years old. It was an Alford plea, which means he admitted the state had enough evidence to prove him guilty.
These are Class B felonies, with a range of 5-15 years in prison. Cox was sentenced to 10 years in prison concurrent on all counts and concurrent to a life without parole sentence he is serving from St. Charles County.
The crimes took place in 1988 and 1989, all with the same victim, who is an adult now. She gave a victim impact statement at the sentencing, but she doesn’t want to be identified, according to a press release.
“We hope this guilty plea helps to honor the memory of Angie Houseman and to honor the still-living victims of this predator,” said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. "And we hope this conviction gives some closure and semblance of justice to these courageous victims.”
Angie Housman case
Last year, Cox pleaded guilty in the 1993 kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of 9-year-old Angie Housman.
In exchange for his confession, St. Charles County Prosecutor Tim Lohmar agreed to take the death penalty off the table.
In his confession, Cox said he had some car trouble on the afternoon Angie went missing. He stopped to see what was wrong, then he saw a school bus stop, then he saw Angie.
Cox said he kept Angie hidden in a mobile home where he lived in St. Charles County for days. Eventually, Angie was left in a wooded area, about five to six miles from his home.
At first, Cox suggested he left her there alive hoping someone would find her, but Lohmar didn't buy that.
“My theory is that he thought by the time anybody would discover her body, they would never be able to identify the remains because it was that remote,” he said.