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Andrew Compton Murder: Gregory O'Bryan, Charged with Killing Ky. Student, Now May Face Capital Case

Gregory M. O�¢�?�?Bryan Indicted in Andrew Compton Murder
Andrew Compton (CBS/Personal Photo)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (CBS/WLKY) The man accused of murdering an 18-year-old Sullivan University student who disappeared Oct. 28 could soon be on trial for his life.

Prosecutors filed a notice of aggravating circumstances, making 40-year-old Gregory O'Bryan eligible for the death penalty for the murder of Andrew Compton, of Carmel, Indiana.

According to CBS affiliate WLKY, O'Bryan was in court Friday after the Jefferson County Grand Jury returned a seven-count indictment against him.

That indictment accuses O'Bryan of killing Compton. Authorities have been searching a Medora, Ind. landfill for his remains.

O'Bryan is also charged with sodomy, specifically of engaging in deviate sexual intercourse with Compton while the student was physically helpless and incapable of giving consent.

"That makes Mr. O'Bryan eligible for the death penalty... and life without the possibility of parole for 25 years as additional penalties for what would be a non-capital murder case," Assistant Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney Tom Van De Rostyne told the station.

Additionally, the indictment accuses O'Bryan of sexually abusing Compton's corpse three times over a two-day period, and O'Bryan is accused of two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 10, 2010 - Andrew Compton: Search for Louisville Student Resumes at Landfill

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