AUSTIN, Texas — A man found guilty of murdering an Austin defense attorney by stabbing him up to 28 times has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Justin Twyne, 26, pleaded not guilty to the charge over the death of James Short in his Rockwood Circle home in southwest Travis County in 2017.
Short, 74, was found dead on April 7, 2017. Investigators reportedly found a bloody knife with Twyne’s fingerprint on it at the scene.
On Monday the jury found Twyne guilty, rejecting the claim he acted in self-defense, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
Twyne told the jury on Friday Short had sexually assaulted him at knifepoint. He claimed he grabbed the knife and turned it on Short.
Prosecutors argued Twyne had hoped to get away with Short’s money and $18,000 credit line.