Man accused of kidnapping, murdering 7-year-old Somer Thompson expected to plead guilty

The man accused of killing a 7-year-old Florida girl whose body was found in a Georgia landfill is scheduled for a court appearance Friday afternoon and a court spokeswoman says there's potential for a "significant development" in the case.

Jared Harrell is expected to plead guilty, according to wjxt.com.

Harrell is accused of killing Somer Thompson. He's awaiting trial in Clay County. Court spokeswoman Mary Justino says there will be no announcement of what the new development is until the hearing.

Somer disappeared from her Orange Park home in 2009 while walking home from school. Her body was found in a landfill two days later.

Authorities said Harrell's mother lived on the street where the little girl walked. Harrell was arrested a year ago in Mississippi on unrelated child pornography charges before he was indicted in Florida on first-degree murder.

Harrell is also accused of molesting a 3-year-old girl.

It's expected he will avoid the death penalty and be sentenced to life in prison in exchange for the guilty pleas.