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Flagstaff Man Found Guilty of Stabbing Landlord to Death

A Flagstaff man has been found guilty in the stabbing death of his landlord.

The Arizona Daily Sun reports it took less than three hours for jurors to convict 23-year-old James Womble of second-degree murder.

Womble also accepted aggravation charges for bringing emotional harm to the family of 63-year-old Peter Gillespie. As a result, he could receive a stiffer sentence.

Womble is facing the possibility of anywhere from 10 to 25 years in prison.

Authorities say Womble and Gillespie were fighting over past-due rent in July 2017 when Womble stabbed him with scissors several times.

Womble, who called 911 after the incident, claimed he was acting in self-defense after the victim started to choke him.

Womble will be sentenced June 5.

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