PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Former assistant Pike County attorney Donald Kyle Deskins has reached a plea deal that will see his murder case dismissed in exchange for an Alford plea to an evidence tampering charge.

Deskins, 50, of Kimper, was scheduled to go on trial Monday for murder and two counts of evidence tampering related to the death of his wife, Judith Deskins, on April 24, 2021. The case had already gone to trial once last year, but ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Special prosecutor Tony Skeans told Mountain Top News that Deskins will enter an Alford plea to one count of evidence tampering in exchange for the other charges being dropped. An Alford plea is when a defendant maintains his innocence but admits that the prosecution could likely obtain a guilty verdict. For the court’s purposes, it functions as a guilty plea.

Skeans said he is recommending that Deskins serve five years for the charge.

The other charges are being dismissed without prejudice, meaning they could be brought back at a later time. However, that would be up to a different prosecutor.

Formal sentencing will take place June 5 in Hazard.