No jail for Texas teen who admits he fatally shot friend

MONTAGUE COUNTY, Texas – A North Texas teen accused of shooting and killing his friend pleaded guilty on Monday to criminally negligent homicide, CBS DFW reports.

On a hunting trip last Labor Day weekend, Michael Underwood, 17, shot his friend Nathan Maki, 18.

On Monday, Underwood was given a two-year suspended sentence and five years probation after pleading guilty. He was facing up to 20 years in prison.

Maki’s mother, Bonnie Tatera, told CBS DFW that she believes Underwood deserved some jail time.

“I think with him getting probation… it’s not… I’m sure he’s going through hell, too… But not the hell we are going through,” Tatera said.

The two teens were drinking at the time of the accident, according to investigators. A 911 call recorded Underwood saying he “accidentally shot his best friend.”

Initially, the shooting was ruled accidental by Montague County Sheriff investigators, and Underwood only faced an underage drinking charge. However, a grand jury later indicted the teen for manslaughter, a second degree felony.

Maki was a senior at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, where he played fullback for the football team. Shortly after his burial last September, Maki’s family stood on the sidelines while the team played a game in his honor.