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Man gets life in prison for murder of half-brother, nephew

Published  December 16, 2015 1:36pm MST
FOX 10 Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday in the killing of his 6-year-old nephew after the child witnessed his father's shooting death.

Authorities say Christopher Licon, 24, fatally shot his half brother, Angel Jaquez, in a 2010 drug dispute and killed his nephew, Xavier Jaquez, out of fear that he would snitch.

Licon was convicted in both killings.

A jury spared him the death penalty and instead sentenced him to life in prison.

It was up to a judge to decide whether he would become eligible for release after serving 35 years.

The judge balked against the more lenient option, ordered Licon to spend the rest of his life in prison and gave him an additional 36 years in his brother's killing, his nephew's kidnapping and other convictions.