Associated Press - November 18, 2009 7:24 AM ET

GONZALES, La. (AP) - A state judge has sentenced an Ascension Parish man to serve a mandatory life prison sentence for his role in a drug-related slaying nearly two years ago.

Twenty-8-year-old Arthur Nicholas III of Gonzales was convicted Sept. 24 at the conclusion of his non-jury trial on a charge of second-degree murder in the December 2007 fatal shooting of 48-year-old Mark Waddell.

According to court testimony, Waddell had owed Nicholas $80 for drugs provided for a weekend party.

Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo, who presided at Nicholas' trial, handed down his life sentence Tuesday.

The Advocate of Baton Rouge reports Nicholas is 1 of 5 co-defendants in the slaying, 2 of whom testified for prosecutors against him.

Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com

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