BAKER CITY, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man has pleaded guilty to the shooting death of his wife and received the minimum 25-year sentence for murder.
The Baker City Herald reported 41-year-old Kevin Blankenship originally pleaded not guilty in November, but changed his plea on Friday morning.
Blankenship initially told police he had accidentally shot his 38-year-old wife accidentally while cleaning his rifle.
Baker County District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff says Blankenship’s brother Darrin was prepared to testify that Kevin Blankenship called him after the shooting and said he shot his wife because she was seeking a divorce.
