FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A judge says Michael Ratley of Bryceville, Fla., will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing his wife Effie with a hammer.
CNN reported Friday that Ratley, who was convicted on murder charges by a Nassau County Court jury in July, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Circuit Judge Robert Foster.
Prosecutors accused Ratley, 25, of hitting his 29-year-old wife with a heavy-duty hammer at least seven times on Jan. 27, 2007.
Ratley's defense team attempted to blame an unknown intruder at his parents' home, but prosecutors claimed the intruder report was Ratley's attempt to cover up the killing.
CNN said the homicide came weeks after Ratley was dubbed a hero for successfully saving his wife and 2-week-old son Aiden from a house fire.
"I might have lost everything physical, but I've still got my two most precious things," Ratley said in December 2006 after pulling his family members from a trailer fire.
