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GRAND ISLAND – An 18-year-old Grand Island man involved in a robbery and shooting case at Fonner Park was sentenced Aug. 14 to 18 to 38 years in prison for felony conspiracy to commit a robbery.
Austin Kelly, 18, 2425 Park Drive, pleaded no contest May 14 to felony conspiracy to commit robbery. Robbery and two counts of being an accessory to a felony were dismissed. Kelly was found guilty. District Judge Andrew Butler sentenced Kelly on Aug. 14.
On March 9, Grand Island police found Todd Scherer inside of his tack room within the R Barn at Fonner Park. He had a single bullet wound in his stomach and a large laceration on the back of his head. He was deceased.
In his sentencing, Butler made the following points:
*A lesser sentence would depreciate the seriousness of the crime.
*A lesser sentence would promote disrespect for the law.
*Incarceration is necessary to protect the security of the public.
*The crime caused or threatened serious harm.
*The court cannot find that the character and attitudes of the defendant indicate he is unlikely to commit another crime.
On May 1, Logan. C. Hunts Horse, 21, of Wounded Knee, S.D., reached a plea agreement in Hall County District Court.
Hunts Horse pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and no contest to felony using a deadly weapon to commit a felony. He was sentenced to 64 to 94 years in prison for second-degree murder and 24 to 40 years in prison for using a deadly weapon to commit a felony. The sentences are to be served consecutively.
According to a Grand Island Police Department probable cause statement, after Scherer was struck with a baseball bat in the back of his head, Kelly took Scherer’s wallet from his pants pocket, and the wallet contained cash. Kelly said he and Hunts Horse wanted to take Scherer’s wallet because they needed money for gas.
