Wacht Sentenced to Life In Prison | Video

Valley News Live | 8/1/2012

He was convicted of killing a man in Cooperstown and then decapitating him. Today, Daniel Wacht was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Wacht is now 31-years old, in prison and facing life without parole. Wacht is convicted of shooting Johnson in the forehead at Wacht`s rental home in Cooperstown, and then decapitating him and burying Johnson`s head in a basement crawl space.

It was part of an initiation rite into a white supremacist gang.

Before sentencing, the victim`s brother, Kory, recalled relaying the horrific news to Johnson`s three children and ex-wife.

"Eventually I spoke with the kids, hearing their cries of disbelief over the violent death of their father. I heard the cries of the ex-wife as she tried to comfort."

"Mr. Wacht`s depraved act of dismembering the body and concealing the head in his basement is of great concern to the court," said Judge James Hovey. "Daniel Wacht it is the sentence of this court for the life imprisonment, without the opportunity for parole."

"Life without parole is what we`d hoped for. As far as true justice? No, nothing will ever bring Kurt back," Kory said.

Defense attorney Steve Mottinger says he`ll file an appeal tomorrow. Mottinger claims the original search warrants should not have allowed some of the evidence used at the trial.

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