CANON CITY A man accused of gunning down his friend of 15 years was sentenced to nine years in prison during a hearing Monday in Fremont County District Court.
Derrick Donahue, 39, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Benjamine Welch, 42, who died of a single gunshot wound to the chest May 17 at a home at 933 S. Third St.
Donahue reported to police the two men had been drinking and Welch had been smoking methamphetamine when the two began to argue. Donahue said he lunged for his .22 caliber pump action rifle and fired a single round into Welch’s chest because Welch was aggressively advancing on him “like a bear,” according to an affidavit.