Sonora, CA — A 35-year-old Sonora man has been sentenced to 26 years to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder.

Thomas Brawand was convicted last month in the beating death of 57-year-old Richard Bray in April.

Defense attorneys had been pushing for a second-degree murder or manslaughter conviction after Brawand admitted to the murder during the trial.

Brawand said he became enraged when Bray supposedly made advances on Brawand´s girl friend.

Prosecutors maintained that Brawand intended to rob Bray and leave town to avoid going to jail for a previous drug charge.

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