Joseph Paul DeWise was sentenced Tuesday for killing his estranged wife, Lauren DeWise, and critically wounding her roommate, Ashley Van Hemert, who survived the January 2018 shooting on Idaho Street in Belgrade.
District Court Judge Holly Brown sentenced Paul DeWise to 220 years in Montana State Prison with no eligibility for parole.
A jury found DeWise guilty of deliberate homicide and attempted homicide after a 7-day trial in December 2019.
In court Tuesday, state prosecutors recommended DeWise serve 100 years for deliberate homicide, with an additional ten years for a weapons enhancement, to be served consecutively. The state also recommended a sentence of 110 years total for attempted deliberate homicide. The state asked that both sentences be served consecutively, totaling 220 years, with no chance for parole.
DeWise must also pay restitution to the victims totaling $25,267.10. He will be credited 755 days for time served as his case made its way through court.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
