By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Well-known China Grove karate instructor Wayne Eugene Hill, who has been in the county jail since his 2013 arrest, has been sentenced to over 18 years for the choking death of ex-girlfriend Roxanne Fowler Maddry.

Superior Court Judge Joe Crosswhite told the court, which was filled with family, friends and supporters of both Maddry and Hill, that court was no place either side would want to be, but he hoped both families could heal.

Hill, now 58, will spend the next 18 to 22 and a half years in prison following a plea agreement. The state asked for 20 to 25 years.

Although they were not together, Hill asked Maddry to come over to his Poplar Street home in China Grove so he could give her a gift. Her son, Derric, reported her missing after she didn’t show up at a funeral and later at a friend’s house in South Carolina.

Police found Maddry’s car at Hill’s home and discovered her body inside the home. A letter signed by Hill said he was sorry for what he’d done and he hoped the family could forgive him. Hill wrecked his car at the Stanly-Montgomery county line and was found in a wooded area a day later. He was taken to the hospital with self-inflicted injuries to his wrists and throat.

Hill said in court statements that he and Maddry had sexual intercourse that night. He said he’d asked her if a man was going with her on her trip. She didn’t respond so he choked her and she stopped breathing.

Hill told police he tried CPR but to no avail. Hill said in his statement he thought about calling 911 for help, but she was already dead.

He went to Food Lion, bought two bottles of Unisom sleeping pills and swallowed all of the pills in both bottles. Hill said he slept in the bed with Maddry’s body and later went to Sonic Drive-in for lunch and bought more sleeping pills. He took 32 pills from that bottle.

Hill told investigators he believed he was hallucinating because he wrecked his car thinking someone was chasing him. He ran from the wreck and into a wooded area because he believed he was being chased.

Investigators said Hill also slit his wrists and his own throat in an attempt to kill himself. He was seen by Rite Aid employees with blood all over him and he bought bandages, Neosporin and gauze.

Maddry had told her F&M Bank co-workers that Hill was never abusive, but he was possessive. She told them she did not want to be in a relationship with Hill, but he did not want to end the relationship..

See more details in Tuesday’s Post.