Khafra, 21, had been carving out hundreds of feet of passageways under Beckwitt’s home in Bethesda, Maryland, northwest of Washington, when a fire broke out. Judge Margaret Schweitzer of Montgomery County Circuit Court sentenced Beckwitt to 21 years in prison, but she suspended all but nine. Sentencing guidelines called for 10-21 years in prison, though second-degree murder in Maryland carries a maximum possible penalty of 30 years. Court documents said that Beckwitt made great efforts to keep his underground bunker secret. Khafra posted a photograph of himself, underground and wearing safety gear, on social media while he was doing the work.

Source: National Post June 18, 2019 13:30 UTC