CLAY MAN GETS LIFE FOR MURDER

(12/21/2005)
A Clay County man will be spending the rest of his life in prison.

Yesterday, Clay County Circuit Judge Richard Facemeyer sentenced 62-year-old Larry Thomas to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Thomas was convicted earlier this year for the murder of his estranged wife, 49-year-old Nancy Nelson. Thomas broke into Nelson's home in September, 2004, shot her several times, and then swallowed several pills, attempting to end his own life.

Nelson was the operator of a popular Clay County restaurant.

In addition to the life sentence, Judge Facemeyer also sentenced Thomas to 1-10 years in prison on a burglary charge. Those charges will run consecutively.