Man Sentenced 25 Years To Life In 1999 Washington Heights Torture Slaying
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man who ordered a deadly 1999 home invasion was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years to life behind bars.
Miguel de los Santos was convicted of murder and kidnapping in the cold-case death of Manuel Gonzalez, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
De los Santos sent two armed men to collect a $100,000 cocaine debt from Gonzalez's cousin. When they couldn't find him, they went to Gonzalez's home in Washington Heights, tortured and shot him while holding his wife and her elderly father hostage.
De los Santos was running a prostitution ring in North Carolina when narcotics investigators caught up to him.
Judge Ruth Pickholz said it didn't matter to her that de los Santos did not pull the trigger and wasn't there.
It was a heinous tragedy, Pickholz said.
Gonzalez's mother said when her son died, she died, too.
"I am the living dead," she said.
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