UPDATE: Throat slasher sentenced to 34 years
The case: A Colorado Springs teenager’s throat was slashed outside the Westwood Village Apartment, 3024 W. Bijou St., on Aug. 20, 2008, in the wake of a botched drug deal involving fake marijuana.
The victim: Nathaniel Lee Hughes, 18, died of a severed aorta.
The defendants: Nathan Logsdon of Colorado Springs had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under a plea bargain that set his punishment at between 16 to 48 years.
What happened: About 40 people crammed the courtroom as several of the victim’s relatives urged 4th Judicial District Judge Ronald Crowder to impose the maximum allowed under the plea bargain.
Reaction: Jim Hughes, the victim’s father, attended every hearing in the case wearing a button with a photo of his son. Hughes said he would have wanted a longer sentence but was ready for his family to move on with their lives.
“I respect Judge Crowder so much. He’s sees more of this than I do … Nathan will be in our hearts and memories forever. For now, we’re done and we can heal.”
