The Leaf-Chronicle
by Stephanie Ingersoll
CLARKSVILLE — Two roommates were found guilty of murder and two others were convicted of lesser charges Friday in the beating death of a BDSM “house slave.”
Matthew Lee Reynolds and Alphonso Richardson were both found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping in the beating and strangulation death of 39-year-old Shirley Beck. They could face life in prison, which means they would not be eligible for parole for at least 51 years.
BDSM “mistress” Cynthia Dianne Skipper, who kept Beck as a “house slave” was found guilty of lesser charges — two counts of criminally negligent homicide and especially aggravated kidnapping. She could have one to two years on the criminally negligent homicide but 15 to 25 years on the especially aggravated kidnapping charge.
Derek M. Vicchitto was found guilty of two counts of facilitation of second-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping. He could face eight to 12 years on the facilitation charge and 15 to 25 years on the kidnapping charge.
All had been charged with murder, murder during a kidnapping and especially aggravated kidnapping in the June 26, 2014, beating at the home they all shared at 108 Wilson Court.
The jury returned the four verdicts shortly before lunch Friday. They began deliberating Thursday afternoon after a three-day trial.
Beck was a “house slave” who did all the chores for the roommates, and, by her consent, was punished for doing anything wrong.
Things took a different turn in June 2014, when she was beaten by four hours by Reynolds and Richardson. Reynolds kicked and hit her at least 50 times using martial-arts style techniques. Richardson hit and kicked her and beat her with a metal pole while she was hanging from the ceiling. …