Man gets 20 years for beating death of elderly landscaping client

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Last time we saw defendant Carlos Cordero, he was laughing while pleading guilty to murder. At his sentencing Friday, there seemed to be no sign of a smile.

Cordero pleaded guilty to killing 81-year-old Alfred Watton.

Prosecutor Chinwe Fossett says Watton hired Cordero to do some handy work around his yard but the two got into a dispute over money and it turned violent. Fossett said Cordero banged Watton's head on concrete pavers, took money from the man's wallet, and took off in Watton's red van.

Watton's wife of 55 years, Lena was the one who found him beaten nearly to death. He would eventually die of his injuries.

During Cordero's sentencing, she wanted the judge to know her husband was a generous man who wanted to help Cordero.

"My husband took out his wallet and gave him what little bit of money we had left for traveling and that was $50 and, of course, that’s not part of the record but it was important to me," Lena said.

Cordero passed up his chance to address the courtroom, but his attorney expressed sorrow to Alfred's family on his behalf.

Following that, the judge sentenced Cordero to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years probation.