Boy, 15, gets 6 years for killing homeless Ore. man
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy pleaded no contest this week to charges that he beat a homeless veteran and left him to die under a Roseburg bridge last September.
A Douglas County judge sentenced Ethan Wayne Gunderson to more than six years in prison, at least half of which will be in the custody of the Oregon Youth Authority.
The victim, 61-year-old Thomas Nichols, died about a week after he was beaten and robbed of $2. Authorities say the beating contributed to the death.
According to prosecutors, Gunderson and 19-year-old Kevin Vales blamed each other for coming up with the idea to rob the man. Vales last month pleaded no contest to charges of robbery and manslaughter.
Both defendants received 75-month prison terms.
(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.)
