Auburn Tree Poisoner Has Only Paid $99 in Restitution

WETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) – The University of Alabama fan who pleaded guilty to poisoning Auburn University’s landmark oak trees has paid only $99 toward restitution.

Court documents show Harvey Updyke made that payment on July 18. Circuit Judge Jacob A.  Walker III ordered Updyke to pay restitution to Auburn University totaling $796,731 in December 2013.

The Auburn Plainsman first reported the lack of payment on Wednesday.

The judge had denied Updyke’s request to cut the monthly payments from $500 to $50, which would have taken about 1,328 years to pay off.

Defense attorney Andrew Stanley says he has no knowledge of how much Updyke has paid.

There’s no record of any request or order seeking to force payment.

The retired Texas state trooper was granted indigent status, meaning taxpayers would pay his legal fees.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)