Man gets 25 years to life for ’16 murders

Peterson gunned down mother, brother during meth-induced spree
   A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison April 18 for the 2016 drug-induced rifle slayings of his mother and brother.
    Seth Gordon Peterson was found guilty of first degree aggravated murder and other felonies in December in the Nov. 2, 2016 shooting deaths of Susan Peterson, 45, and James Peterson, 23, who were slain on a ranch near SR-10 and Hiawatha Road.
    The accused was sentenced during a hearing presided over by 7th District Court Judge George M. Harmond. Peterson’s attorney Rudy Bautista attempted to persuade the judge to suspend the aggravated murder judgment. However, that motion was denied and sentencing went forward.
    Peterson was sentenced on the harsher charge as well as on charges of attempted aggravated murder, manslaughter, aggravated robbery and failure to stop for police.     
    The sentences will all run concurrent. Peterson won’t be eligible for parole until 2042.
    Before making his decision, Harmond heard testimony from Peterson’s father. Two letters were read in court from the killer’s sisters as well.
    During his December trial, it emerged that Peterson was allegedly suffering from methamphetamine-induced hallucinations when he shot his mother in the face with a rifle. His brother, attempting to get to her body, was shot and left for dead by Peterson, who claimed he was protecting his mother and brother from demons.
    Bautista’s motion to arrest the aggravated murder judgment was based on the jury’s handing down only a manslaughter verdict in Susan Peterson’s death, while reserving the harsher first degree murder verdict for Peterson killing his brother, which Bautista argued was inconsistent.
    At sentencing Peterson was given credit for 462 days time served. He and his attorney has 30 days to appeal the judge’s sentencing decisions.