BECKLEY, W.Va. — A Beckley man was sentenced Wednesday to four life terms in prison after being convicted earlier this month in a 2018 murder and kidnapping.
Davide Hudson, who was convicted on six criminal counts on Feb. 2, apologized but also maintained his innocence during Wednesday’s sentencing hearing in Raleigh County Circuit Court before Circuit Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick.
Hudson killed Amber Meadows, 19, at the Travelodge in Beckley in 2018. He was also convicted for kidnapping Meadows and two other women.
Kirkpatrick sentenced Hudson to life in prison for killing Meadows and three other life terms on the kidnapping convictions. Each sentence is to run consecutively. Kirkpatrick followed the jury’s recommendation for mercy on two of the four life terms.
Hudson made allegations of juror misconduct during a prepared statement that he read to Kirkpatrick.
“I just hope that we saw all of the inconsistencies and misconduct throughout the trial,” Hudson said. “Your honor, I am very sorry for what took place. Never in my life did I think I’d be in this situation.”
Hudson also took issue with how he was characterized by prosecutors during the trial.
“I am not a monster, murderer nor a coward,” Hudson told Kirkpatrick.
Raleigh County Assistant Prosecutor Brian Parsons told the court Hudson was on a destructive course beginning in 2013 when he was arrested on a gun charge. He said there were drug charges in the years following.
Photo/Chris Jackson/The Register-Herald
“There were warning signs of bad behavior and that puts him on a collision course with Amber Meadows,” Parsons said.
Parsons said Hudson made the choice to use a firearm against Meadows.
“He chose to take the life of Amber Meadows,” Parsons said.
Kirkpatrick said it was clear Hudson came from a good family but somewhere along the line he “took the wrong road.”
Three other defendants in the original incident, Tyrique Pearl, Jonathan Bird, and Antonio Williams all entered plea deals with prosecutors.
The evidence showed the four men met Meadows and two other women at a gas station. Hudson had a conflict with Meadows’ partner at the time.
When the women went to the Travelodge location, Hudson insisted on getting something from Meadows. Pearl told authorities that Hudson wanted to kill the other women as well.
WJLS Radio Reporter Keith Thompson assisted with this story.Â