Last defendant sentenced to 43 years in prison for Palomino Club murder

The Palomino Club murder mystery is finally over.

Five years later, the man authorities said orchestrated the May 2005 hit on Timothy "T.J." Hadland, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Valerie Adair to 43 years to life in prison.

Three months ago, a jury convicted Deangelo Carroll, 29, of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the shooting death of the 44-year-old doorman. The same jury spared Carroll the death penalty.

Authorities said then-club owner Luis Hidalgo Jr., 59, had paid Carroll $6,000 to kill Hadland after he bad-mouthed the infamous all-nude strip club and its owner to cabdrivers, costing the business thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

Carroll recruited others to help with the killing, including Kenneth Counts, 35, who was acquitted of first-degree murder but was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. He is serving an eight- to 20-year sentence.

Hidalgo and his son, Luis Hidalgo III, 28, were convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 and are serving sentences of 20 years to life.