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Man sentenced for killing of victim who made critical remark

Posted at 7:36 AM, Mar 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-08 09:36:40-05

A 20-year-old Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community man faces 34 years in prison for a killing that prosecutors say was motivated by a derogatory remark.

U.S. District Judge David Campbell on Monday sentenced Juan Carlos Burns for the Sept. 25, 2016 killing of Justin Gaston on a gas station on the Scottsdale-area reservation.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Burns shot Gustin in the back of the head for making a derogatory remark to Burns.

Court documents don't specify what Gustin said.

A jury on Nov. 16 convicted Burns of second-degree murder and discharging a firearm causing death.