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A Virginia jury recommended a sentence of 38 years and six months for James Boughton Jr., the man convicted of killing a Utah missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and wounding another in 2006 in Cheasepeake, not far from Norfolk, Va.
Prosecutors proved to the jury that Boughton shot the two missionaries because moments earlier the missionaries saw Boughton shoot at another man. Morgan Young, from Bountiful, was killed and Joshua Heidbrink, of Greeley Colorado, was wounded.
Both Heidbrink and Young's mother were asked by Boughton's defense attorney if they could find it in their heart to forgive. Heidbrink said it's an ongoing process.
Morgan Young's father, Mark Young, said "We feel the sentence is appropriate" and thanked the many family, friends and community members who supported them through this ordeal.
The 22-year-old was convicted Friday of first-degree murder in the January 2006 slaying of Young. Boughton also was convicted in the shooting of Heidbrink. He recovered and testified at Boughton's trial.
Heidbrink said in court Tuesday that he hoped to forgive Boughton.
The trial judge will impose the sentence at a hearing set for April.
E-mail: jdaley@ksl.com
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