WINDOM -- More than two years after he murdered a co-worker, Douglas Saunders was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Security Hospital in St. Peter on Thursday.
He will also be required to pay $49,000 to the Victim Reparation Fund out of his prison earnings.
Saunders pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Jan. 8, the day before his trial was scheduled to start. At that time, whether he would spend life in prison or in a hospital was undetermined.
He recently spent a week being evaluated in St. Peter. Judge Bruce Gross said there was clear and convincing evidence that Saunders is mentally ill and dangerous.
Medical matters pertaining to Saunders' psychiatric condition will be reviewed, and a report will be filed within 60 days regarding continued commitment to the security prison and whether additional legal proceedings are needed.
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Saunders shot Howard Hockel twice with a 12-gauge shotgun on Dec. 17, 2004, at Fast Distributing in Mountain Lake. Both Hockel and Saunders were from Odin.
