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Final Defendant Sentenced In Detroit Firefighter's Slaying

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) — The final defendant charged in the slaying of 59-year-old Detroit firefighter David Madrigal will serve 20 to 50 years in prison.

Nicole O'Neill was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Madrigal's body was found Dec. 21, 2015 by his son. The 26-year Detroit Fire Department veteran was asleep when he was beaten with a gym weight. His home also was ransacked.

Timmy Lynn Soto was sentenced in December to 38 to 80 years, plus two years to run consecutively on a weapons charge. Christian Rasnick was sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison.

According to the testimony, Madrigal invited Soto over to drink on December 19, 2015. Soto showed up at the west side home on Vaughn Street with O'Neill and Rasnick and was welcomed inside. As the night went on, Soto apparently became upset because Madrigal was allegedly hitting on O'Neill during the night.

"Soto told police that seeing Madrigal touch O'Neill caused him to have 'flashbacks' to witnessing sexual abuse in the past, and it 'made me snap.'" according to a court report.

Soto told police he left the home during the night to get some drugs and when he returned, Madrigal was sleeping in a chair. According to testimony, Soto then picked up a weight plate and struck Madrigal twice in the head. The trio ransacked the house, stealing a safe and Madrigal's SUV, and fled the scene. According to testimony, the trio split the safe's bounty, $1,500 and two guns, before dumping Madrigal's SUV in southwest Detroit and setting it on fire.

The report says Rasnick and O'Neill knew they were going to Madrigal's house with the intention of robbery, but they didn't plan for him to end up dead. Things took a fatal turn only after Soto apparently realized he couldn't get away with the caper because Madrigal knew him too well, according to the report.

 

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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