Anthony Hopkins Sentenced to Life Plus 51 Years in death of wife Arletha, stored in freezer

wkrg.com

by Steven Norris
Thu, May 20, 2010

Mobile, AL - Anthony Hopkins, the traveling preacher convicted of killing his wife and stuffing her body in a freezer, was handed the maximum sentence for his conviction: Life plus another 51 years.

Anthony Hopkins was found guilty on April 9 for the murder of Arletha Hopkins, and also for the rape of his stepdaughter. Hopkins was arrested almost two years ago in July 2008, after Arletha's body was found in a freezer at the family's home on Rylands Street.

He was taken into custody while preaching at a revival in Jackson, AL. Investigators believe Arletha's body had been hidden for more than three years.

also read:

Murderer US evangelist is evil of worst kind, according to prosecutors

Preacher Convicted in Murder of Wife - Stored Body in Freezer

Hopkins receives life imprisonment

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It has taken a long time for Hopkins to be dealt his sentence. For a while there was not a word written about the case. Its a good thing he's a "man of god". whew, that'll save his soul, huh?

Anthony Hopkins kept wife Arletha in freezer four years

Information on this case has really been hard to find. These are links to articles posted by wkrv.com in Mobile.

Hopkins Indicted In Freezer Murder
Trial Date Set For Preacher Accused Of Stuffing Wife In Freezer
Autopsy Complete On Body Found…
Hopkins Isolated From Prisoners
Man Pleads Not Guilty In Frozen Body Death:
Body Of Ala. Evangelist's Wife Was Stored In A Freezer For 3 Years
Posted: 5:41 PM Aug 5, 2008
Reporter: CBS/AP
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(CBS/AP) A part-time south Alabama evangelist pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a murder charge in the death of his wife, a mother of eight whose body had been stored in a freezer at least three years.
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Through his attorney, Anthony Hopkins, 37, also pleaded not guilty to separate charges of sexual abuse, rape, sodomy and incest.
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Prosecutors said the teenage victim in that case is a female relative who is pregnant with his baby. Her disclosure of the alleged sexual abuse led police to find the body in the freezer on July 28.
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Mobile County District Judge Charles McKnight set bond at $750,000 on the murder charge in the death of 36-year-old Arletha Hopkins and $10,000 on each of the sex charges. It was not immediately known if Hopkins, father of six of the children, could post bond. He made no comment in court and was returned to jail.
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Hopkins maintains his innocence, said defense attorney Jeff Deen.
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A trial date has not been set, as far as I can find.

Arletha Hopkins "body in freezer" trial for Anthony Hopkins

Monday, 08 Jun 2009
Liz Nelson
fox10tv.com
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MOBILE, Ala. - A trial date has been set for Anthony Hopkins. He's the man who's accused of killing his wife, then stuffing her in a freezer four years ago.
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Hopkins was escorted into Judge John Lockett's courtroom Monday morning for his arraignment. It took the judge less than a minute to set the trial date, which is October 19. Sid Harrell is Hopkins' defense attorney.
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Investigators believe Hopkins killed his wife, Arletha, four years ago, then stuffed her body in a deep freezer. The freezer was kept in the house where Hopkins was raising his eight children. Police say the night Arletha died, she took a stand against her husband, saying she wouldn't let him sexually abuse the children.
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Detectives say Hopkins and Arletha got into a huge fight. A stepdaughter told police she heard her mother screaming for help, and begging for her life. Later that night, the 19-year-old claimed she saw her mother's body wrapped in a sheet. She also claimed she saw Hopkins break down and cry, saying he was sorry.
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That's when prosecutors say Hopkins asked for the girl's help. "She stated that her father came to her and told her he needed help disposing the body, and he could not carry the body himself, and he needed her help," said Assistant D.A. Ashley Rich.
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According to police, Hopkins and the girl put the body on a trailer, drove to Jackson, Ala., and buried Arletha behind a church. Police also say Hopkins drove back and dug up the body. They say he took it back and placed it in the freezer.
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Police found out about this disturbing case when one of the children went to the Child Advocacy Center, complaining about an on-going case of child abuse. The abuse allegedly took place over several years. When authorities visited the home, that's where they found the body of Arletha.
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Hopkins was arrested 2008 in Jackson, Ala., after preaching at a revival. Anyone who met the family said they were convinced Hopkins was a man of God, with a special gift of prophecy.
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"We respected him, because he was one that the scriptures calls a prophet. He was one that things he spoke, it came to pass," said Pastor Jerry Porter.
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Hopkins faces murder, rape, sodomy, and incest charges. I reckon so...
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read article here