Man who dragged grandfather to his death gets 25-to-life

WILLITS, Calif. -- A Northern California family says it is still trying to understand what led to the slaying of their 84-year-old father, who was killed by being dragged behind a pickup truck for six miles.

A Mendocino County judge sentenced 25-year-old Kenneth Wilkinson, the victim's grandson, to 25 years to life in prison on Friday in the 2012 slaying of Richard "Mel" Wilkinson in the Willits area. Kenneth Wilkinson had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.

The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa reports Wilkinson acknowledged hitting his grandfather in the head with an ax during an argument. A blood test indicated Kenneth Wilkinson had drugs in his system.

His attorney, Jan Cole-Wilson, says his client dragged what he thought was a dead body behind the truck.