By Associated Press - Friday, March 31, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - A second man has pleaded guilty to murder in the 2013 shooting death of a University of Mississippi graduate student.

Joseph Lyons, 23, entered the plea Thursday in the death of Zacharias McClendon and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Lafayette County Circuit Judge John Gregory.

The Oxford Eagle (https://bit.ly/2okvCFl ) reports prosecutors agreed not to seek Lyons’ execution if he pleaded guilty.

Lyons is one of three former Ole Miss students accused in the shooting. Derrick Boone pleaded guilty in April 2016 and was sentenced to life without parole. Steven Wilbanks awaits trial.

Prosecutors say the three entered McClendon’s apartment and Wilbanks shot McClendon in the back of the head with a shotgun. Prosecutors say the three stole a vehicle, clothing, electronics and textbooks.

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Information from: Oxford Eagle, https://www.oxfordeagle.com

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