GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Donald Spice was sentenced to life in prison Friday in a Kent County courtroom after being found guilty in the brutal 2015 murder of a woman.
Donald Spice
Spice was found guilty of first-degree murder and mutilation of a dead body after a trial back in June. The prosecution alleged that Spice killed Vargas with a hammer in her sleep.
Spice testified in his own defense during the trial, stating he and Vargas were arguing last November about finances among other things, including a $1,700 phone bill. He claimed Vargas had a knife in her hand, swung at him, then he hit herself in the head with a hammer. Police say that after killing the woman with a hammer, he set her and her car on fire along I-96.
On Wednesday Judge George Buth sentenced Spice to life in prison, without the chance of parole, on charges related to his crimes.
Vargas’ body was found by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department at about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 9th, 2015 in a burned out car along eastbound I-96 in Wright Township.
Spice was found walking on Ironwood Drive and arrested shortly after.
