HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. – An Iraq war veteran has been convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two people during a west-central Pennsylvania sandwich shop robbery nearly three years ago.
The Altoona Mirror says Blair County jurors deliberated for about five hours Tuesday night before convicting 31-year-old Nicholas Horner of Altoona in the shooting deaths of a 19-year-old clerk and a bystander during the April 2009 robbery.
Jurors are to return Wednesday to hear evidence on whether Horner should be sentenced to death or to life in prison without possibility of parole.
Defense attorneys argued unsuccessfully that Horner was unable to form the intent to kill due to mental problems and medications he was taking
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