Accused NC serial killer denies 1 death, admits 1

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — A man accused of killing three Gastonia women tells a jury he falsely confessed to killing two of them, but admits choking a third to death.

Danny Hembree could face the death penalty if he is convicted of killing 17-year-old Heather Catterton, whose body was found near Clover, S.C., in 2009.

Hembree testified Friday that he didn’t kill Catterton. He said the two had smoked crack cocaine and had sex and when he woke up she was dead.

Hembree is also charged with killing 30-year-old Randi Dean Saldana, whose burned remains were found near Blacksburg, S.C., in 2009. He testified Friday he accidentally choked Saldana to death while they were having sex and high on crack.