Accused killer extradited after serving time for crime spree in New Hampshire

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – An accused killer has been extradited to Mississippi after he pleaded guilty to crimes in New Hampshire he committed while he was out on bond for murder in Hinds County.

Court documents and media reports show Ryan Christopher Hopkins spent more time behind bars as part of a plea deal in New Hampshire than he has while awaiting trial for murder here.

WLBT first told you back in July that a New Hampshire grand jury had indicted Hopkins on nearly a dozen charges, including sexual assault and kidnapping.

The Derry News, a newspaper in New Hampshire, reports Hopkins pleaded guilty to criminal mischief and obstruction of justice and had to serve out his time there before he would be extradited back to Hinds County.

In 2020, a Hinds County grand jury indicted Ryan Christopher Hopkins on first-degree murder and conspiracy charges for the death of Celeste McDonald in 2019.

Court documents indicate McDonald pressed rape charges against Hopkins days before her death, though the Jackson Police Department could not confirm when she filed the charges nor who it was against.

Before his indictment, Judge Faye Peterson set his bond at $50,000 and required him to wear an ankle monitor, none of which was changed after the indictment was issued. Peterson was not over the case at the time, but handled the conditional bond, according to court documents.

Special Judge Frank Vollor has not yet set a date for Hopkins’ murder trial

In July 2021, Hopkins’ attorney filed a motion to amend the bond to allow him to work as a truck driver and travel as part of that job, but that motion was never granted by Green.

An affidavit by a New Hampshire detective said Hopkins was working as a truck driver and traveled across parts of the country, having apparently done so without the court’s permission, according to a cursory review of documents filed with Hinds County.

The Hinds County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion in March to revoke Hopkins’ bond on the basis of these new felony charges.What was Hopkins doing in New Hampshire in the first place?

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