Spartanburg man tells newspaper details of missing woman's killing

(Spartanburg) Aug. 16, 2005 - A man charged with the killing a woman missing for more than a year gave details of the killing to a South Carolina newspaper Sunday in an interview at the Spartanburg County Jail.

Christopher Hampton, 25, told a reporter for the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg that he was ironing clothes before work and threw a hot iron at 24-year-old Tamika Huston and hit her in the head as they argued about money.

Spartanburg County prosecutor Trey Gowdy would not comment on whether Hampton's information matches statements he has provided authorities. They say he killed Huston in May 2004.

Hampton told the newspaper he panicked after killing Huston and drove around with the body in a borrowed car for hours before burying her. He said he did not want people to think he was a killer.

He buried Huston in a wooded area in Duncan.

He said he later felt guilty as Huston's family pleaded for information about her disappearance. He says dug up Huston's remains and planned to take them police.

But he says he was too frightened and couldn't do it. So he buried Huston a second time.

Hampton was arrested by police on Friday just before being released from federal prison, where he was serving time on a parole violation.

Hampton was not in prison when Huston disappeared. Officials have always suspected him because, at the time, he was living in an apartment where a significant amount of Huston's blood was later found.

Updated 12:40am by Bryce Mursch with AP, NBC