A 60-year-old New Sarpy man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of his neighbor.
Marshall Payton, of 745 Vans Lane, was originally charged with second degree murder and second degree attempted murder after police say he shot his neighbor then pistol-whipped his wife before firing three random shots into his own residence while his daughter was present.
Payton had originally pled not guilty due to insanity, but accepted the amended manslaughter charge. As part of his plea deal, the second degree attempted murder charge was dropped.
The incident occurred at around 3:15 a.m. on April 24, 2010 when Payton grabbed a .22 caliber revolver and headed across the street to the home of 27-year-old John-Paul Lewis, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Lewis lived in the home with his fiancée and four children.
Payton knocked on the door, and when Lewis answered, the two began arguing with each other. Payton then fired three times at Lewis and went back to his home, authorities said.
Lewis’ fiancee, who was sleeping at the time of the shooting, woke up and found Lewis laying on the ground. She then ran across the street to Payton’s residence to ask for help.
When she arrived, she told Payton that someone had shot Lewis.
“He told her that he had done it,” said Capt. Pat Yoes, Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
The fiancée ran home and called police, but Lewis was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived on the scene.
When officers arrived at Payton’s home, they discovered that he had beaten his wife in the head and face with the revolver. He had also fired three shots into his own residence, Yoes said.
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