Death sentence for Van Buren man who killed Missouri trooper

ST. LOUIS -- The Southeast Missouri man convicted of killing Missouri state trooper Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. has been sentenced to death.

The sentence for 32-year-old Lance Shockley of Van Buren was handed down Friday by Carter County Circuit Judge David Evans. An attorney for Shockley said an appeal is planned.

Shockley was convicted of first-degree murder in March, but the jury deadlocked on whether to recommend life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Graham was 37 and a sergeant for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He was shot to death outside of his Van Buren home on March 20, 2005.

Prosecutors said Graham was killed because he was focusing on Shockley in the investigation of a fatal accident.