Man convicted in Monterey County axe murder receives 76 years to life sentence
A judge in Central California has sentenced a man to more than seven decades in prison after he was convicted of attacking two brothers with an axe during a meth-fueled rage, killing one.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced Friday that Kevin James Powell was sentenced to 76-years-to-life for the Sep. 14, 2022 attack on the brothers, which took place at the Motel 6 in King City.
Powell was convicted by a jury on Dec. 12 of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. The jury also found that Powell used a deadly weapon and that the court found he had a prior strike conviction for street terrorism.
Prosecutors said the victim and his brother were in town for work. The pair had returned to their hotel that night after dinner with their sister when Powell parked his car near the victims.
As the brothers were talking outside their room, Powell searched the rear seat of his car, located a three-foot axe and began attacking the victims.
Prosecutors said one victim ran and escaped with minor injuries. The other brother tripped, suffered serious injuries and later died at the hospital.
During the trial, prosecutors said Powell testified that he attacked the victims due a "methamphetamine-induced psychosis."
King City is located about 50 miles south of Salinas and about 150 miles south of San Francisco.