Jury gives man life in prison for neighbor's murder

9/22/2006

A jury spared giving the death penalty this afternoon to Kelvin Tyler and instead recommended a life sentence for the fatal beating last year of 75-year-old Rubie Petterson in her South Toledo apartment.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gary Cook immediately imposed the jury s sentence of 30 years to life for aggravated murder and ordered that he serve an additional 10 years for aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery.

Tyler, 50, entered Ms. Petterson s apartment on April 20, 2005, in Flory Gardens on Nebraska Avenue. She was found unconscious under a couch in the living room and died two weeks later from injuries she sustained in the beating.

The jurors deliberated about one hour before reaching a decision on the death penalty phase of the trial.

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