Youth’s Term In Killing Sticks

A district judge has turned down an appeal from a teenager who admitted he killed a store owner in a robbery two years ago.

Seventh District Judge Brent Moss rejected an appeal from Chris Shanahan, who was 15 when he shot Fidela Tomchak in the head at the family’s convenience store at Grant.

Shanahan was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 35 years. His appeal to Moss contended that sentence was too harsh for someone his age.

But Moss said he took Shanahan’s age into consideration when he sentenced the youth several months ago. “There wasn’t anything new,” he said.

Shanahan, Tom Lundquist and Benjamin “B.J.” Jenkins were sentenced as adults.