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Cape resident, Tennessee man plead guilty in shooting of NC officer

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YADKINVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Two men have been sentenced for guilty pleas in the 1996 shooting death of a Jonesville police officer.

Brian Eugene Whittaker, 38, of Cape Coral, Florida, was sentenced this week to between 14 and 17 years in prison.

Mark Peterson Oldroyd, 41, of Rockwood, Tennessee, was sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in prison.

The men pleaded guilty in court in Yadkinville to second-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and conspiracy. Whittaker also pleaded guilty to felony possession of stolen goods.

Sgt. Gregory Keith Martin was shot to death during a traffic stop.

Scott Vincent Sica, 38, entered a plea in March and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Sica entered an Alford plea, which does not acknowledge guilt but concedes there is enough evidence for a conviction.

Investigators say Sica shot Martin nine times. Martin had been with the police department for three years.

District Attorney Tom Horner said he agreed to the plea deals, rather than seeking the death penalty, because he wanted to respect the wishes of Martin’s relatives.

“For 16 years, they’ve had to live with the loss . and they want some resolution,” Horner said.