Missouri man sentenced to life in prison in homeless killing

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A southwest Missouri man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a woman with a hatchet two years ago at a homeless camp.

Twenty-six-year-old Aaron M. Letterman was sentenced Friday to a life sentence, for which he must serve at least 30 years. He was also sentenced to an additional 30-year sentence that will run consecutively with the life sentence.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Letterman pleaded June 15 to murdering Tyla Rhodelander. He made a so-called Alford plea -- in which a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to win a conviction.

Prosecutors say Letterman spent several hours in a tent with Rhodelander and struck her repeatedly in the head with a hatchet.