South Dakota Man Sentenced For Drug-Related Murder in Austin

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A South Dakota man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for a murder in Austin last year.

19-year-old Miguel Nunez earlier entered into a plea agreement and admitted to a second-degree unintentional murder charge in connection with the death of 45-year-old David Harris. He was shot to death in his Austin home on July 5 of last year. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped two other second-degree murder charges against Nunez.

The criminal complaint against him alleged Nunez went to the victim's home with several other people who were seeking to purchase marijuana. Once inside, Nunez allegedly pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot everyone in the residence if they did not comply with his demand to hand over all of the drugs in their possession.

A witness to the fatal shooting told investigators Harris, who apparently heard the commotion, came out of the bedroom holding a handgun and was shot to death by Nunez. The witness also stated that Harris was able to fire his gun and wound Nunez, who then dropped his gun and fled from the home.

Nunez was apprehended in Sioux Falls South Dakota three days after the fatal shooting.