Man gets 40 years in SC shooting of ex-cellmate

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — A 25-year-old man is facing 40 years in prison after being convicted of murder in the shooting death of a friend who was his cellmate in a Florida prison.

Prosecutors say William Brockmeyer killed 24-year-old Nicholas Rae in July 2010, shortly after the men moved to Lexington County after spending time together behind bars in Florida.

Authorities say Brockmeyer told investigators that Rae shot himself in the neck. But a witness says she saw Brockmeyer put something black up to Rae’s neck just before he was shot.

Prosecutors say Rae had lost $500 of Brockmeyer’s money playing pool and Rae had told at least two women that Brockmeyer wasn’t just dating them.