WOODLAND, Calif. — A judge sentenced a man to prison for killing another man with a sword in West Sacramento, according to the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.
Jeffrey Lee, 39, of West Sacramento was sentenced to a prison term of 30 years to life on Oct. 4. Lee was found guilty by a Yolo County jury of second-degree murder and the use of a deadly weapon.
On April 5, 2022, West Sacramento police officers responded to reports of a man bleeding on the ground next to a white Ford motor home. The district attorney's office said the man was stabbed in the heart and was later pronounced dead.
The victim was identified as 28-year-old West Sacramento resident Jack Knox.
Prosecutors said Lee was identified as a suspect after officers reviewed surveillance video from surrounding businesses.
Lee was later taken into custody and told investigators where the murder weapon was. Officials said the weapon used in the crime was a short and bladed sword.
Prosecutors said Lee hid the weapon in brush around his camp near the Sacramento River immediately after the murder. There was a confrontation between Lee and Knox related to a relationship between Knox and Lee's ex-girlfriend.
During the sentencing hearing, Knox's brother provided the judge with a victim impact statement and the judge reviewed information from both the prosecution and defense teams. Information provided to the judge related to a long history of mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness and parole for Lee, according to prosecutors.
The district attorney's office said the judge found Lee's 30-year-to-life sentence was in the best interest of public safety after learning of his history and weighing the circumstances.
"Mr. Lee's sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the critical need to address chronic mental health and substance abuse in our community," Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said in a statement. "While justice must be served, we must also acknowledge the underlying issues that contribute to such tragic events."
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