SAGINAW, Mich., March 28 (UPI) -- A Michigan man was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of killing his neighbor -- a decision that took jury members just 15 minutes to reach.
Lashon T. Hollman, 21, of Saginaw, Mich., was convicted Wednesday of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, torture and carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent for killing his neighbor, The Saginaw News reported.
On Feb. 1, 2012, Hollman dropped a television on 28-year-old Cassandra Nelson's head and stabbed her 54 times, prosecutors said.
Hollman initially told detectives that he had nothing to do with Nelson's death but eventually said he was at Nelson's home with her and another man, then left the house to go to his home next door. When he returned, the other man was assaulting Nelson. He said he stayed with her for 10-15 minutes before leaving, he said.
Michigan State Police experts testified that Hollman's DNA was found on a knife that was hidden beneath Nelson's box spring, as well as on a beer can found near Nelson's body.
Quamay Henne, a friend of Hollman's, testified as a preliminary hearing that Hollman told him that he "stabbed the [expletive] out of [Nelson]."
Jurors deliberated for less than 15 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict.
