Man Gets 20 Years for Fatally Shooting Son During Argument

A 75-year-old Ballantine man convicted of shooting his son to death during an argument has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The Billings Gazette reports James Douglas Sindelar was sentenced Friday for the July 20 death of 35-year-old Wesley Sindelar. The elder Sindelar, who was convicted in March of negligent homicide, says the gun went off during a struggle.

Wesley Sindelar's widow, Victoria Sindelar, described that after James Sindelar was jailed, he sent her a letter containing photos of her dead husband's body at the crime scene, along with graphic photos from his autopsy. A note with the letter said, "For your family album."

Inmates in the jail are allowed to have some access to their own case files.

Reported by the Associated Press