ACCESSORY PLEA LEADS TO 20-YEAR PRISON TERM FOR BLACKSBURG WOMAN

A Blacksburg woman received a 20-year prison sentence today after she admitted to helping someone kill her husband.

Nancy Elizabeth Von Cannon, 54, pleaded guilty to accessory before the fact of assault and battery with intent to kill in a hearing at the Spartanburg County Courthouse. She will serve 85 percent of the prison sentence before she is eligible for release.

Von Cannon admitted to giving Arthur Shane Beck, 29, the kitchen knife he used to stab Ray Von Cannon, 60, to death July 6, 2004 while he worked at the Kangaroo convenience store on Shelby Highway. Nancy Von Cannon also admitted to asking Beck to kill her husband and she acknowledged giving Beck a ride to the store.

Beck, of Kings Mountain NC, was found guilty of murder during a February jury trial and he received a life prison sentence. Beck will serve every day of the sentence.

“Considering Ms. Von Cannon’s age, this is a life sentence,” Assistant Solicitor Mike Morin said. “We feel like justice was administered in this case with Mr. Beck’s life prison sentence and Ms. Von Cannon’s 20-year sentence.”