The episode of the Crime Junkie Podcast titled “MURDERED: Yeardley Love” focuses on a student-athlete named Yeardley Love, who was 22 years old when she was murdered in her bedroom in May of 2010. The investigators turned their attention to George Huguely, who had been an on-and-off boyfriend of Yeardley Love. As the inquiry progressed, the police became aware of the events that occurred on that tragic night, as well as the circumstances that led up to it and George’s disturbing behavior in the past. So, if you’re curious about what became of him after that, you don’t need to worry about it anymore since we’ve got you covered.
Who precisely is this George Huguely?
Marta Murphy and George Huguely IV welcomed their son George Huguely V into the world in September 1987. He was descended from a wealthy family that had made their fortune in the logging business. In December 1983, George’s parents tied the knot, but they ended their marriage in February 1996 and filed for divorce the following year; before to that, they had already welcomed another kid into their family. After that, there was a protracted legal battle over who would have custody of the children, much of which took place in front of the children.
During his time at school, George participated in a variety of athletic activities, including basketball, lacrosse, and football. After that, he enrolled at the University of Virginia, where he eventually became acquainted with Yeardley through shared social circles. She was a lacrosse player as well. During his tenure at the institution, George engaged in a great deal of behavior that was deeply concerning. In September of 2007, he was detained for driving recklessly, and then a few months later, he was arrested for having alcohol in his hands while he was a juvenile. In addition, in 2008, George made racial and sexual slurs toward a female law enforcement officer and threatened to murder her. He also shouted epithets at her. In the end, he was found guilty of drinking and driving in a public place as well as resisting arrest.
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At a party in 2009, Gavin Gill, one of George’s teammates, was the one who introduced Yeardley to him. Later on, he testified that she disclosed to him at the time that she had ended her relationship with George. After that, they engaged in sexual activity together, and then he went home. However, when Gavin awoke, George was already assaulting him. Mike Burns, another lacrosse player from North Carolina, testified that he saw George with his arm around Yeardley’s neck at a party in February of 2010. This event took place in 2010. After being set free, she immediately fled the scene.
In the weeks leading up to Yeardley’s death, there was an increase in the tension between the two of them. She struck George with her purse at some point in April 2010, and their email discussions became increasingly heated in the days leading up to the incident. In one of his emails, George accused Yeardley of intentionally hurting him by sleeping with another man, and in another of his emails, he wrote, “I should have murdered you.” When George was questioned by the authorities, he stated that he and Yeardley had ended their relationship not long before she passed away.
The excessive drinking that George did also played a role, as evidenced by the testimony of a friend who stated that George was quite tipsy on May 2, 2010. According to the findings of the inquiry, George sent numerous ladies text messages requesting them to meet before he went to Yeardley’s house. During an interview with the police, he admitted to kicking her bedroom door open, shaking her, and repeatedly hitting her head against the wall. He also said that he did this while he was holding her against the wall. On the other hand, George asserted that he went to Yeardley’s house with the idea of attempting to make amends to Yeardley.
Where Can One Currently Find George Huguely?
In addition to this, the authorities discovered that George had wounds on his right leg that were consistent with him kicking something. During the course of the trial, the defense argued that Yeardley might have passed away as a result of side effects from taking Adderall, and they added that her injuries might have been caused by CPR. However, the prosecution presented testimony from specialists indicating that Yeardley suffered blunt force damage as a result of an assault. George was found guilty of murder in the second degree back in February of 2012.
George, who was then 24 years old, was sentenced to serve 23 years in prison with credit for service already served in August of 2012. After the filing of a wrongful death claim against him by Yeardley’s family in April 2022, he found himself back in court at that time. George stated that he had been drinking extensively in the hours leading up to the incident, and that he could not recall entering into her room or harming her in any way. He claimed that he had blacked out. George stated that the only thing he could remember was blood coming from Yeardley’s nose.
George continued by saying, “I think about her constantly and miss her terribly.” I would give anything to get that night back right now. I acknowledge that it was my mistake to visit her apartment on that particular evening, and I take full responsibility for what transpired there. In the end, the jury in the civil case decided that George was at fault, and they awarded him damages in the amount of $15 million. According to the documentation from the correctional facility, he is still being held at the Beaumont Correctional Center in Powhatan County, Virginia. When George is finally released from prison, he will be in his 40s, and as of the year 2017, he was working toward earning a college degree.