A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a local pastor, a neighbor and his wife.
Andres Avalos Jr., 36, of Bradenton, could have faced execution, but jurors did not reach a unanimous vote for the death penalty late Monday.
Avalos was convicted Saturday of first-degree murder in the deaths of his neighbor, Denise Potter, and the Rev. James "Tripp" Battle III in December 2014. He also was convicted of second-degree murder in his wife Amber Avalos' death.
Defense attorneys had argued that Avalos suffered from a delusional disorder and was insane at the time of the killings.
A sentencing hearing for the slaying of Amber Avalos has not been scheduled.
Battle's widow said a life prison sentence for Avalos was "justice." Prosecutors said they believed Avalos' actions warranted the death penalty.