By Associated Press - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah man who pleaded guilty to robbing and shooting to death another man on Easter has been sentenced to between 15 years and life in prison.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that 36-year-old Jeffery Ray Shepherd was sentenced on Tuesday for the death of 46-year-old Matthew Holt.

Shepherd avoided the possibility of the death penalty by pleading guilty to first-degree felony murder, a reduced charge.

Defense attorney Heather Chesnut told the judge that Shepherd was addicted to methamphetamine at the time of the shooting and said he will work the rest of his life to overcome that addiction.

Shepherd apologized to members of Holt’s family who gathered at his sentencing.

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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com

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