Man receives 50 years in fatal shooting

A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty in a February 2011 shooting at a Zachary mobile home park that left one man dead.

Kenneth Nixon, of Zachary, who was charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, pleaded guilty Monday to a reduced charge of manslaughter and both attempted murder counts.

State District Judge Lou Daniel sentenced Nixon to 40 years on the manslaughter count and 10 years each on the attempted murder counts. The judge ordered the attempted murder sentences to run concurrent with each other but consecutive with the manslaughter term.

Nixon’s brother, Jeremy Nixon, 28, also of Zachary, is scheduled to appear Monday in Daniel’s courtroom. He is charged with one count of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder and two counts of accessory to attempted second-degree murder.

Jerrick Spears, 22, of Zachary, was killed during the Feb. 20, 2011, shooting at the Sweetbriar Trailer Park.

East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s officials have said Kenneth Nixon had an ongoing feud with three men and spotted them when he was being driven through the trailer park by his brother. Kenneth Nixon opened fire on the men with a .223-caliber assault rifle, killing Spears but not injuring the other two men, police said.

East Baton Rouge Parish Assistant District Attorney Jesse Bankston prosecuted the case.