Kalamazoo man sentenced in slaying of elderly neighbor

A Kalamazoo Michigan man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2013 beating death of his elderly neighbor has been sentenced to 15-20 years in prison. The punishment handed down Monday for 45-year-old Todd Maneke followed a plea agreement last month. Alfred Minka was found dead in August 2013 at his Kalamazoo apartment. Maneke was charged three years later. 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 had been scheduled to start this month before the plea deal was reached.  (AP)