Soldier convicted in 2013 stabbing death of comrade sentenced to prison

JOINT BASE-LEWIS MCCHORD, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state-based soldier has been convicted of unpremeditated murder after prosecutors said he stabbed a comrade through the heart two years ago.

The News Tribune newspaper of Tacoma reports that 24-year-old Pvt. Jeremiah Hill testified during the trial that he acted in self-defense when he stabbed 20-year-old Spc. Tevin Geake of Summerville, South Carolina.

Army jurors reached their verdict Wednesday. Hill was then sentenced to 45 years in prison. He'll be eligible for parole in less than nine years with credit for time served.

Hill told jurors that Geike slashed his right hand during a confrontation involving two groups of soldiers on Oct. 5, 2013. Hill said he then stabbed Geike because the fellow soldier had a knife and was "still a threat." Army prosecutors called most of Hill's testimony a lie.

Both soldiers were based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma.