OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) — A Palmetto man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a St. Landry Parish jury convicted him of murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said.

Sanplice Simien, 48, of Palmetto was convicted in the 27th Judicial District Court Thursday of first degree murder in the killing Michael Thomas and Ladarious Keller in October 2020. He was previously found guilty of three counts of attempted first degree murder in connection with the same incudent in October 2020 authorities said was in retaliation to a previous armed robbery.

The situation began several days before the shooting, when Thomas was involved in a heated argument with Simien in the Morrow area, and Thomas robbed Simien of between $1,200 and $1,400 in cash, officials said at the time.

Later, Simien allegedly found Thomas and four other men in a parked vehicle in Morrow and opened fire on them with two guns.

Louisiana law mandates life imprisonment for first degree murder. He will be sentenced to no less than life for murder and from 10 to 50 years on each of the counts of attempted murder, prosecutors said.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 8.

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