A Commodore man who pleaded guilty to murder was sentenced to a lengthy term in state prison this morning in Indiana County Court.
28-year-old James Lantz was sentenced to 15 to 40 years in a state correctional facility for the shooting that killed in June of last year in Green Township. Lantz pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for the shooting of 23-year-old Derrick Davis in front of Davis’ home.
Lantz went to the home after Davis’ girlfriend told him about a recent argument. He took a sawed-off shotgun in his backpack. During the confrontation, Davis hit Lantz several times. Lantz would then draw the gun and fired a single shot, killing Davis with a single shot. Lantz told investigators that he wanted to fire into the ground or into the air as a warning shot, but he panicked when Davis started to approach him.
Lantz fled the scene but returned several hours later and was taken into custody at that point.
