ROME, Ga. (AP) -- A man has received a mandatory life sentence after being convicted of burning his girlfriend to death.
After about three hours of deliberation Thursday, a jury found Eddie Lamar Sanders guilty of voluntary manslaughter, three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault using gasoline and fire and one count of aggravated battery.
He was found innocent of aggravated assault with intent to murder.
Prosecutors said that on Oct. 24, 2003, Sanders poured gasoline on Ann Strickland, 47, set her on fire and fled the house.
Assistant District Attorney Kevin Salmon pointed to the pattern of burn injuries on Sanders' arm and inner thighs as physical evidence. Also, Salmon told jurors that testimony during the trial indicated Sanders returned to a party the couple had attended earlier that evening with burns on his arm, explaining he had been ``playing with gas.''
On the stand, Sanders, 49, said he awoke that evening to find Strickland pouring gas on him.
``My hand went one way, her hand went the other way, and the next thing I knew we were both in flames,'' Sanders said.
Because of prior felony convictions on Sanders' record, he will not be eligible for parole, Superior Court Judge Walter Matthews said.