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Kingman man sentenced to 20 years in roommate's death

Published  March 22, 2015 12:51pm MST
FOX 10 Phoenix

KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) - A Kingman man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the killing of his invalid roommate.

A Mohave County Superior Court judge handed down the sentence Friday to 53-year-old Robert John Adkins for second-degree murder and vulnerable adult abuse in the 2013 killing of Michael Sudkamp.

Judge Steven Conn also denied a motion for a retrial made by Adkins' attorney.

Adkins maintained his innocence, saying the victim was "a dear friend." He had told police that Sudkamp often fell.

Defense attorney Brad Rideout argued the death may have been accidental and that Adkins' mental health had been deteriorating.

Prosecutor Bob Moon argued that Adkins had a volatile temper and that Sudkamp's numerous injuries didn't come from a single blow that caused a fall.