Former Airman Gets Life Sentence For Murder

DENVER (CBS4) - An Iraq veteran convicted of staging a car wreck to cover the murder of his girlfriend will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Robert Walters was convicted last month of killing Brittney Brashers, 22, an active member of the Air Force. In November 2009 he staged the murder as a car crash. Walters was having an affair with Brashers at the time of her death and investigators said he had actually killed her by punching and choking her.

Walters was also accused of trying to hire someone to kill his estranged wife, but was found not guilty.

In court Brashers' brother and sister both spoke. They said that Walters took her away from them, denying her true love, children, the chance to get walked down the aisle by her father, and growing old.

Walters did not speak, but his attorney said that he maintains his innocence and that this was a sad day for him, too. His parents, sister, and wife were also in the courtroom, crying and shaking their heads.

Testimony from emergency responders weighed heavily in the case.

Walters will automatically get the chance to appeal his sentence.