Detroit Teen Gets 30-60 Years In Prison For Murder Of 91-Year-Old Neighbor

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - An 18-year-old Detroit man will spend 30 to 60 years in prison for the slaying of a 91-year-old neighbor.

George Stewart IV was sentenced Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Paul Monchnik was beaten Nov. 23, 2015 and his home was set on fire. A medical examiner testified during Stewart's preliminary examination that an accelerant-type liquid was found in Monchnik's stomach and that the elderly man may have been forced to drink it or it was forced into his throat.

After surveillance video showed a young man driving Monchnik's van to a nearby gas station to purchase gasoline in cans, Stewart — who had been living next door to Monchnik — turned himself in to police.

At the time of his arrest, Stewart's family members seemed shocked by the accusations; one relative telling WWJ, "…He's supposed to be at Romulus High School playing basketball, going to class like all his siblings." He pleaded guilty Sept. 16 to second-degree murder.

Scott Monchnik said in court Friday that his father's "life was brutally taken ... by a monster."

According to family members, Monchnik was a widower and father of three who had lived in his home for 65 years. He worked for more than 50 years as a self-employed television repairman before retiring.

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