A Columbus man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to manslaughter in Lowndes County Circuit Court.
Tyler Blair Blackwell, 23, pleaded guilty in the 2020 shooting death of Xavier Johnson, 16th Circuit District Attorney Scott Colom told The Dispatch on Wednesday.
Blackwell was initially charged with murder. Circuit Judge Michelle Easterling delivered Blackwell’s sentence, Colom said, with eligibility for parole.
Johnson, 20, of Columbus, was killed on April 20, 2020 in the 500 block of 16th Avenue South shortly after 1 p.m. When first responders arrived, they found Johnson in the street and attempted to perform life-saving procedures. However, Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant later pronounced Johnson dead at the scene. Blackwell was arrested the following day. Colom said the shooting was the result of a drug deal gone wrong.
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