Man receives life sentence for killing grandmother

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - A central Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal killing of his grandmother.

A Polk County judge sentenced 22-year-old Jasper Smiddie on Thursday.

Authorities say Smiddie shot Gloria Marie Helfrich in the back of the head with a crossbow and stabbed her more than 90 times in her home.

After his arrest in 2012, Smiddie told investigators he killed his grandmother as a way to seek revenge upon his uncle.

The Ledger (https://bit.ly/1Bxuoph) reports that Smiddie said he took about $200 from his grandmother’s purse to buy gas after the killing.

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Information from: The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.), https://www.theledger.com