Life Sentence For Couple Who Murdered Newport Man

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) – Two people have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a 71-year-old Newport man in 2016.

The Astorian reports Christian Wilkins and Adeena Copell were sentenced Friday in the death of Howard Vinge.

Vinge was beaten to death inside his RV in September 2016 and his body was dumped down an embankment east of Astoria. Prosecutors say Copell and Wilkins lived with Vinge shortly before his death.

Prosecutors say the couple then drove Vinge’s car to Arizona, where they were arrested.

Wilkins pleaded guilty in May to murder, abuse of a corpse and two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle. Copell was convicted of the same charges in May after a trial in Clatsop County Circuit Court.

They will each serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.
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Information from: The Daily Astorian, http://www.dailyastorian.com