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A South Burlington man who was charged with second-degree murder last year following a deadly jail cell brawl has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, NBC5 has learned.Top video: See previous coverageA person with authority to speak on the case told NBC5 that Mbyayenge "Robby" Mafuta pleaded guilty this week to reduced charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in connection to the death of his cellmate, 55-year-old Jeffrey Hall.Hall was involved in a brawl with Mafuta on Dec. 22, 2022 while both men were incarcerated at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. Mafuta was uninjured in the incident, but Hall suffered life-threatening injuries and later died while undergoing treatment at the University of Vermont Medical Center.Mafuta was initially charged with attempted murder, but that charge was upgraded to second-degree murder following Hall's death. Hall died of complications from blunt force trauma to the head and his death was ruled a homicide. Mafuta has remained behind bars ever since.The new plea agreement calls for a 15 to 30 year sentence, with all except 8 years suspended. Mafuta will also receive credit for time served.Once released from prison, he will be forced to complete 25 years of probation.Mafuta is expected to be formally sentenced early next year following a pre-sentencing investigation.
A South Burlington man who was charged with second-degree murder last year following a deadly jail cell brawl has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, NBC5 has learned.
Top video: See previous coverage
A person with authority to speak on the case told NBC5 that Mbyayenge "Robby" Mafuta pleaded guilty this week to reduced charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in connection to the death of his cellmate, 55-year-old Jeffrey Hall.
Hall was involved in a brawl with Mafuta on Dec. 22, 2022 while both men were incarcerated at Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. Mafuta was uninjured in the incident, but Hall suffered life-threatening injuries and later died while undergoing treatment at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Mafuta was initially charged with attempted murder, but that charge was upgraded to second-degree murder following Hall's death. Hall died of complications from blunt force trauma to the head and his death was ruled a homicide. Mafuta has remained behind bars ever since.
The new plea agreement calls for a 15 to 30 year sentence, with all except 8 years suspended. Mafuta will also receive credit for time served.
Once released from prison, he will be forced to complete 25 years of probation.
Mafuta is expected to be formally sentenced early next year following a pre-sentencing investigation.