Vegas man sentenced for killing wife in front of kids

A Las Vegas man was sentenced to 31 years in prison Monday for fatally shooting his estranged wife in front of their five children.

Troy White sent more than 130 text messages to his estranged wife, Echo Lucas, and called her more than 30 times in the hours before he fatally shot her in their northwest valley home, prosecutors said at his April trial.

White was found guilty of second-degree murder, attempted murder, five counts of child abuse or neglect, and carrying a concealed weapon in connection with the July 2012 shooting that left Lucas dead and her boyfriend, Joseph Averman, injured.

White‘€™s lawyers had asked jurors for a verdict of manslaughter, saying he acted in the heat of passion and did not return to his home intending to kill.

The text messages White had sent his wife became more and more intense when Lucas started dating Averman, according to prosecutors.

White had been stewing over the separation from his wife for months since he learned about her relationship with Averman.

White also told a colleague he wanted to kill his wife and Averman the morning of the deadly shooting, according to testimony at trial.

Despite their separation, the couple agreed that Lucas would live in their home with their three children and the woman‘€™s two other children from a prior marriage during the week, and White would live in the residence with the children over the weekend.

Last year, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that White should not face a burglary charge in the case, concluding that a person cannot commit burglary of a home when the person has an absolute right to enter the home.

Defense lawyers said White went to his house in an attempt to reconcile with Lucas and kick Averman out.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker