Durden gets life; still awaiting murder jury trial

Published 10:49 am Thursday, January 19, 2012

Jordan Tyler Durden, accused of killing his grandfather in 2008 and attempting to kill his grandmother, pleaded guilty in court Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Moody resident also pled guilty to two counts of promoting prison contraband in the first degree. He was twice found in possession of sharpened objects that the county district attorney’s office said could have been used in an escape attempt.

Those charges stem from incidences in the spring of 2009 that took place while Durden was being held at the county correctional facility.

After changing his pleas from not guilty to guilty, Circuit Judge Jim Hill sentenced Durden to life in prison in the attempted murder of Eva Durden, the defendant’s grandmother.

On July 30, 2008, Durden’s 69-year-old grandfather, John Calvin Durden, was killed with a knife during what the court said was the attempted robbery of a Ford van.

Assistant District Attorney Carol Boone said on the same day Jordan Durden attempted to kill his grandmother by repeatedly hitting her and attempting to stab her with a broken piece of glass. Eva Durden locked herself away in an interior room of the home to escape the attack.

A jury trial will be held at the end of this month in order for the evidence to be put forth in the capital murder case against Durden.