A man who fatally shot an employee at a Springdale hotel in 2024 has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison, officials said.
Desean Buckner, 30, pleaded guilty Aug. 19 to murder. He was sentenced by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Patrick Dinkelacker.
Two years ago, Desean Buckner walked up to the front desk at the La Quinta Inn and Suites, and according to police, after a brief conversation with the employee, Umedjon Mavlonkulov, shot him.
The shooting happened in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2024. Afterwards, Buckner fled to Columbus. A Flock license plate reader flagged Buckner's car near his home in Madisonville, police have said, and officers were then able to locate it in Columbus.
Less than 20 hours after the killing, he was
arrested in Columbus.
Last year, Buckner was found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial. But after undergoing treatment, he was deemed competent, meaning he understood the nature of the proceedings and could assist in his defense.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Man sentenced for 2024 killing of Springdale La Quinta employee
