Starkville man pleads guilty to burglary

William Hedin, 24, was sentenced to seven years after pleading guilty to one count of automobile burglary in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Circuit Court Judge Lee Coleman sentenced Hedin to seven years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections on a suspended sentence, with five of those years on probation and two to serve. Coleman fined Hedin $1,200 with $150 in restitution.

The fees will be paid at a rate of $100 per month, beginning Aug. 30.

The maximum sentence for one count of automobile burglary is seven years, with a maximum fine of $10,000.

Hedin was indicted on two counts of automobile burglary in June 2017. The indictment states Hedin burglarized the cars of Brianca Williams and Olivia Young on Dec. 26, 2017.

Williams reported to law enforcement she was visiting her aunt in Wildwood Estates of Starkville the evening of Dec. 26, 2017, when Williams and her aunt heard a noise outside the home. When they looked outside,they did not see anything. When Williams left her aunt’s home, she realized her phone, wallet and credit cards were missing from her car. Williams then notified law enforcement her car had been burglarized.

Once officers arrived in Wildwood Estates, they spoke with a nearby neighbor of Williams’ aunt who had seen Hedin roaming the neighborhood. The resident told officers, earlier in the evening, a white male who identified himself as Hedin asked the
resident for a light to smoke his cigarette.

According to the resident, Hedin revealed his home to the resident. Officers approached Hedin’s residence to question him.

Hedin initially denied the burglary, until a female in Hedin’s car held the stolen phone for the officers to see. The officers recovered the phone and arrested Hedin.

Hedin told officers he threw Williams’ wallet in a ditch on the roadside. Law enforcement later recovered the wallet.

The state retired Hedin’s second count of automobile burglary on Tuesday.

Hedin has no prior felonies.