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Florida man convicted of machete slaying at pot grow house

Photo: Add Wedd
Photo: Add Wedd

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man will serve a life sentence after a jury convicted him of killing a marijuana grow house operator with a machete. A judge in Hillsborough County sentenced 41-year-old Yuniel Sentmanat-Gonzalez after a jury convicted him Tuesday of first-degree murder, burglary of a dwelling and attempted robbery. The grow house was in the victim's Brandon home. Sentmanat-Gonzalez and five others wearing masks broke into the house in 2015. The victim fought back and pulled the mask off one of the attackers. Prosecutors said the victim’s girlfriend saw Sentmanat-Gonzalez’s face. The mask left at the scene also contained his DNA and he left fingerprints at the scene.

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.