Indiana man sentenced to life in prison for dismemberment killing
IN killer's defense maintained he was the victim of a sexual predator, acted in panic
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Fort Wayne man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for killing and dismembering a man last year.
Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent sentenced Mathew J. Cramer II, 22, after a jury convicted him of murder, abuse of a corpse and resisting law enforcement in the slaying of Shane Van Nguyen, 55, on April 23, 2021. The jury had recommended the life sentence.
Cramer apologized to Nguyen's family.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I’m really sorry for what happened," Cramer said.
INDIANA JURY RECOMMENDS LIFE IN PRISON FOR MAN IN DISMEMBERMENT KILLING
Family friends Rob Evans and Don Cochran presented a victim impact statement on behalf of Nguyen's widow, Don Nguyen.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Indiana man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a man and dismembering his body. (Fox News)
"His murder took away my husband," Don Nguyen’s statement said. "His murder took away a father of two sons."
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During his trial, the defense claimed Cramer was homeless and living in a storage unit. Nguyen saw Cramer walking along a street, asked Cramer if he needed a ride, drove Cramer to the storage unit and the two had sex, according to the defense account, which maintained Cramer was the victim of a sexual predator and acted in a panic.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Investigators said Cramer slammed Nguyen’s head to the ground, killing him. They say Cramer and an accomplice, 21-year-old Jacob Carreon-Hamilton, dismembered Nguyen’s body at a storage unit before placing them in the victim’s van.
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Carreon-Hamilton pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal, abuse of a corpse, and resisting law enforcement in July. He was sentenced to five years in prison.