A Fernley man was sentenced to life in prison for the January hatchet murder of his 72-year-old roommate.
A Lyon County jury, which listened to testimony for three days, deliberated for about four hours on Dec. 19 before finding Scott Eric Lecoque, 35, guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Wallace S. Phillips on Jan 12, 2005.
According to court documents, Lecoque killed Phillips by striking him with a hatchet 30 times on his head, neck and torso.
The two had argued prior to the killing. When deputies arrived, Lecoque directed them to Phillips' lifeless body at the top of the stairs.