Barrow County man arrested for murder

Matthew Caylor, a registered sex offender from Auburn, admitted killing Melinda Hinson in his hotel room. According to the probable cause affidavit, Caylor raped Hinson Tuesday evening. When the girl attempted to resist, Caylor strangled her with a telephone cord and hid her body under his bed. Motel staff found the body around noon last Thursday.

Caylor had been living at the Valu-Lodge in Panama City since early July. Hinson and her family had been staying at the same hotel since November of last year.

Caylor was arrested by the local sheriff’s department Wednesday on unrelated robbery charges. Caylor was accused of attacking and attempting to rob two women at a Panama City Beach condominium just hours before he attacked and killed Hinson.

According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Caylor was a casual acquaintance of the two women. After being invited inside their condominium, Caylor allegedly tried to lure one of the women into a back bedroom. When the woman refused, Caylor attacked both women and threatened them with an eight inch knife while demanding money. When the women began yelling for help, Caylor fled the scene. A neighbor of the two women followed Caylor and was able to provide police with the license plate number on Caylor’s vehicle.

Police issued a BOLO (Be on the lookout) for the vehicle, which had been reported as stolen in Georgia. Sheriff’s deputies spotted the truck later that day in the parking lot of a business. Caylor fled from the deputies and a chase ensued. Caylor was apprehended after deputies deployed spike strips to disable his vehicle.

Caylor, of 1569 Wynfield Court, Auburn, Georgia, was charged with home invasion robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of false imprisonment, fugitive from justice, failure to register as a sex offender, fleeing and attempting to elude, and felony driving with license suspended or revoked.

According to the sheriff’s department, Caylor also had numerous active warrants against him from the State of Georgia.

Caylor was still being held in the Bay County jail when Hinson’s body was found.

Upon questioning, Caylor admitted murdering Hinson.

Caylor has a history of criminal behavior. In 2001, he was convicted of child molestation. In 2006, Caylor was arrested by the Auburn Police Department on charges of battery, criminal damage to property and obstruction.

Caylor remains in the Bay County jail on murder and numerous other charges. He is being held without bond.