Sentence in killing ends up about three years

Kim Smith

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001 | 10:50 a.m.

A Las Vegas man who originally faced a life sentence in the shooting death of his girlfriend's nephew was sentenced Tuesday to just under three years in prison.

Freddie Williams, 54, will have to serve at least one year in prison before becoming eligible for parole in the November death of Tyler Gallucci, 24.

Williams was originally charged with murder but was allowed in a plea agreement to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He had been free pending Tuesday's hearing and could have been sentenced to as little as probation.

Neither fact sat well with Gallucci's family members, many of whom attended the hearing.

Gallucci's mother, father and grandfather each told District Judge Joseph Bonaventure they believe Williams is a murderer who should never be freed from prison.

Their opinion didn't change even after a tearful Williams twice addressed them, pleading with them to believe that he never intended to shoot Gallucci.

Williams told the family that Gallucci refused to leave his property Nov. 6 and the two became scuffled. Fearful because a man who was with Gallucci had pulled a 12-inch knife on him the night before, Williams said he retrieved a gun from inside his home. It went off accidentally after a shoving match, he said.

"All I wanted to do was scare Tyler away. He was 30-some years my junior," Williams said.

Bonaventure chastised Williams for "stupidity," saying he should have gotten a restraining order against Gallucci.