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Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. St. Cloud murder sentencing 2022
2. St. Cloud murder case update
In a recent development in a 2022 homicide case in St. Cloud, a suspect, Alphonso Cotto, has been sentenced to prison. Cotto entered an Alford plea, maintaining innocence while acknowledging there was enough evidence to convict him of the crimes. Originally indicted for first-degree murder and other charges, Cotto pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, resulting in a sentence of just over 22 years. The case involved a fatal shooting of Michael Batsche over an unpaid debt. Security camera footage implicated Cotto and another individual, Paul Erving Coleman. Coleman has also pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and will be sentenced soon.
1. St. Cloud homicide conviction 2022
2. St. Cloud murder case sentencing
St. Cloud Homicide Suspect Alphonso Cotto Sentenced to Prison
Alphonso Cotto, a suspect in a 2022 homicide case in St. Cloud, has been sentenced to just over 22 years in prison after entering an Alford plea. This plea indicates that Cotto maintained his innocence while acknowledging that there may have been enough evidence to convict him of the crimes he was charged with. Originally facing charges of first degree murder, Cotto pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, resulting in the other charges being dropped.
The incident took place on May 24th, 2022, in the 1200 block of 10th Avenue South in St. Cloud. Authorities responded to a call reporting a man shot in the head, identified as 39-year-old Michael Batsche. Despite being rushed to CentraCare-St. Cloud Hospital, Batsche tragically succumbed to his injuries.
According to the criminal complaint, the altercation leading to the shooting allegedly stemmed from a dispute over an unpaid debt between Cotto and Batsche. Surveillance footage from Batsche’s residence captured Cotto and another individual, identified as Paul Erving Coleman, near the garage moments before the incident. Additional camera footage showed Coleman’s SUV in the alley behind the victim’s home at the time of the shooting. Coleman was apprehended in St. Cloud two days later, while Cotto was arrested in Chicago.
Initially claiming self-defense, Cotto’s Alford plea effectively waived this claim. In a separate development, Coleman pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing.
