Homeless man pleads guilty in death of Portland woman

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A homeless Portland man accused of strangling a woman and leaving her body in his van has pleaded guilty.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 58-year-old Terry Hickman pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree manslaughter and attempted second-degree assault in the death of 29-year-old Dallas Boyd.

According to a memo file by prosecutors, Hickman told authorities that he and the woman had been taking drugs inside his van in July, and he awoke to find her trying to steal items.

The pair struggled, and he says he choked her and snapped her neck. A medical examiner determined Boyd died of “manual strangulation.”

Police later found the body inside the van, which had been towed to a lot.

Hickman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 2. He faces a prison term of 17 years.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com