3rd man guilty in great-grandpa killing

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) - Derrick Hewlett was found guilty Thursday of murder and armed robbery, the third of three suspects convicted in the death of a great-grandfather.

Hewlett, 20, was convicted of open murder, two counts of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm and three separate felony firearm charges.

He was sentenced January 5. He will spend life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder; up to 85 years for the armed robberies, up to 85 years for the conspiracy and yet another 85 years for the firearm charge.

Hewlett, along with Cordney Rowe and Darius Huntington, killed Willie Rice on June 20 in the back room of Rice's Spring Street home. The 69-year-old was targeted by the trio because he was running a gambling operation out of the house, and most of the gambling visitors were elderly.

Rowe pleaded guilty Nov. 30 and was sentenced Jan. 19 to 22 to 55 years in prison. Huntington was found guilty in October and already was sentenced to life without parole.