A New York man who strangled and buried his wife in the woods on Long Island seven years ago has been sentenced to 18½ years in prison.
Thirty-four-year-old Joseph Jones, of Centereach, pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter in the death of Nicole Tessa.
Newsday reports members of the victim's family were present for Wednesday's sentencing. Jones said nothing during the proceeding in Suffolk County.
Prosecutors say Jones killed his 31-year-old wife during an argument over pain pills to which they were both addicted. Jones' defense attorney says it's a tragedy when a family gets torn apart due to drug addiction.
Outside court, Tessa's father Jack Tessa said the family's pain was recently worsened when Nicole's twin sister, Jennifer Tessa Travis, died in March.
