ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The man who admitted to killing his mother and putting her body in a cardboard box will spend the next 14 years behind bars. John McArthur pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence after he beat and strangled his mother in 2017.
He told police he put a powder called “Dragon’s Breath” in her drink and attacked her when she told him to leave. McArthur was initially declared incompetent to stand trial, but he was eventually deemed competent enough for his case to move forward.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing, McArthur struggled to get his words out but expressed remorse for the murder. “And if I could go back to change anything, I would, I feel – awful about it,” said McArthur.
Judge Bruce Fox sentenced McArthur to 14 years.
