A 67-Year-Old Louisiana Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Murder
A 67-year-old man from Louisiana has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the 1985 shooting death of a Lone Tree man during a home invasion.
Michael Shannel Jefferson was arrested in 2021, 36 years after the death of Lone Tree businessman Roger Dean, 51, on Nov. 21, 1985. Jefferson was initially suspected of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
According to reports, Roger Dean and his wife, D.J., were at home when an intruder broke in and forced Roger Dean to tie up his wife. D.J. Dean heard scuffling and gunshots downstairs before discovering her husband’s body.
Jefferson was identified as a suspect through DNA analysis that linked him to the crime scene by comparing DNA found at the scene to that of Jefferson’s deceased parents.
Jefferson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in August, leading to the dismissal of two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping as part of a plea agreement.
Dean’s daughter, Tamara Harney, expressed gratitude to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for their relentless pursuit of justice for her family. She stated that Jefferson has never taken responsibility for his actions and that while the sentencing brings closure, it cannot change the fact that she has lived without her father for 39 years.
Jefferson’s attorney, Michael Faye, stated that his client maintains his innocence but accepted the plea deal to avoid the risk of spending the rest of his life in prison within a justice system he had lost faith in.
This is an ongoing story and may be subject to updates.
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