A southwestern Michigan man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the beating death of his elderly neighbor. Todd Maneke's plea agreement came Wednesday in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court and calls for a prison sentence of 15 to 20 years.
Alfred Minka was found dead in August 2013 on the floor of his Kalamazoo apartment. Forensics experts testified that the 88-year-old Minka had been hit in the back of the head several times with a hammer or similar object.
Maneke was on trial in September, but a judge declared a mistrial because she learned several jurors had researched the case outside of what was presented in court. Maneke's new trial was scheduled to start next month. ---
