State v. Deal

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Abbott, J.:

This is a direct appeal by the defendant, Todd Miller Deal, from his conviction for premeditated first-degree murder. He was sentenced to fife imprisonment, with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

Deal raises seven issues. The salient facts will be set forth under the individual issues.

The victim, Aubrey Phalp, was spending the night at her father’s house. Her parents were divorced. Her father did not wake her in the morning, and when he attempted to wake her later in the day, he discovered the bedroom door was locked. Upon opening the…