A man was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison for killing his neighbor during an argument over a lawnmower.
Nery Lopez Morales, 52, was sentenced Thursday for the death of 42-year-old Amber Burton, in what the victim’s mother called “one of the most stupid reasons I have ever heard to shoot someone.”
Lopez Morales was originally charged with first-degree murder but entered a plea agreement in February to be charged with voluntary manslaughter, The Des Moines Register reported.
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An Iowa man who shot his neighbor in a dispute over a lawnmower has been sentenced.
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Court documents say Burton and her boyfriend sold a lawnmower to Lopez Morales but Burton “repossessed” it because Lopez Morales allegedly owed her money in September 2021. He drove to Burton’s house and shot her once with a shotgun while they argued, police said.
Lopez Morales also pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and assault during a felony. He was sentenced to consecutive terms totaling 50 years, with a mandatory minimum of 20 years before he is eligible for parole.
Lopez Morales declined to make a statement during the hearing.
Burton’s mother, Valerie Burton, said her daughter was a nurse who was raising two children, ages 11 and 14, by herself. Valerie Burton said she is now caring for the children.
