The Mississippi Supreme Court has rejected arguments from convicted murderer Micah Ruffin that his confession was not freely given to Yazoo County authorities.

Ruffin was sentenced to life without parole in 2007 for the kidnapping and murder of Thomas Giles. Giles’ body was found in 2002 in a cornfield near Mississippi Highway 3 in Yazoo County. An autopsy showed Giles had been beaten and shot six times.

Prosecutors say the slaying occurred after Giles won several hundred dollars in a dice game.

On appeal, Ruffin claimed his two signed confessions given to investigators were not voluntary.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the court record showed Ruffin was read his rights, signed a wavier of those rights and confessed to his role in Giles’ death.