Two of three defendants in the Ryan Lovick overdose case entered pleas in Lamar superior court Thursday. Elbert Tyler Horton pleaded a straight guilty plea to one count of abandonment of a dead body and Katherine Noelle Nordan entered an Alford plea to one count of abandonment of a dead body through which defendants admit guilt but attest they were too intoxicated to understand their actions. They were each sentenced to the 18-month drug court program. The third suspect, Jessica Amanda Casteel, was in court but had not entered a plea at the lunchtime break. Lovick’s mother, Susan Lovick, made a heart-wrenching statement that left many in tears. She told of coming home from a business trip and finding her son dead in bed. District attorney Richard Milam said the suspects knew Lovick had overdosed on methadone mixed with gatorade but decided to clean up the Lovick house where they had partied and go home rather than call authorities. Susan Lovick said Casteel returned to the home and was with her when she found her dead son. “She was the worst. She acted like nothing was wrong. She is evil in my book,” Susan Lovick said. Horton and Nordan apologized to Mrs. Lovick in court. UPDATE: Casteel did not enter a plea. “She is to discuss it with her attorney and he is going to get back in touch with me,” district attorney Richard Milam said.
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