A Florida man who fatally shot his roommate and buried the body on his property in 2021 has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Michael Allen Pritchard, 37, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder with a firearm in Collier County Circuit Court. On Wednesday, he was adjudicated guilty and received a 35-year sentence, with a minimum mandatory term of 25 years before becoming eligible for release.
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The victim was reported missing by his family on December 1, 2021, prompting an investigation by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives identified Pritchard, the victim’s roommate, as a suspect after uncovering key evidence.
Pritchard confessed to a witness that he had shot and killed the victim, later burying the body on his property located off 10th Avenue Northeast in the Golden Gate Estates area. Acting on this information, detectives obtained a search warrant for Pritchard’s residence.
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On December 2, 2021, they discovered the victim’s remains in the exact location described by the witness.
This conviction brings closure to a case that deeply affected the local community. Pritchard’s sentencing ensures he will serve decades behind bars for his crime.
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