Wash. man who killed, dismembered friend sentenced

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - A Tacoma man who killed and dismembered his friend has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

The Tacoma News Tribune (https://is.gd/fEmdnR) reports 30-year-old John Ben Jones Jr. was sentenced on Friday following a conviction of second-degree murder for the March 2012 killing of 54-year-old Wayne Williams.

Prosecutors say the case began when Jones’ mother noticed a foul smell coming from her sons’ bedroom. The smell came from the decomposing and partially dismembered body of Williams, who had been strangled the night before.

Authorities say that initially Jones said he couldn’t remember anything, but investigators found that he and Williams had been fighting for weeks.

During the subsequent trial, Jones shuttled back and forth to Western State Hospital for multiple psychological evaluations. Defense attorneys argued that Jones was mentally ill, but he was found competent.

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Information from: The News Tribune, https://www.thenewstribune.com