JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Jacksonville man was sentenced to life on Tuesday in a 2011 murder.
Alexander Patton was sentenced to mandatory life in prison Tuesday for the 2011 murder of Paula Milam. The 40-year-old also received five years on a drug charge. A jury convicted Patton in August on charges of first-degree Murder and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
In August 2011, Patton went to Milam’s home and argued over how much money he owed her. Patton then used two electrical cords and a weed-eater line to strangle the 61-year-old.
Patton took Milam’s prescription medication, left the home and minutes later got into an accident on Interstate 95. Patton was captured by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office after the accident.
"The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did an outstanding job solving this tragic case. We are grateful to the jury and Judge Boyer for their wisdom, and we will continue to seek justice for victims like Paula Milam. I hope the sentence will bring a small measure of comfort to Ms. Milam’s daughter and her family," said Assistant State Attorney Rich Mantei. State Attorney Angela Corey also tried the case.
