Oklahoma Appeals Court Affirms Life Sentence In Sapulpa Shooting

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the life sentence of a Sapulpa man who was convicted of shooting a 48-year-old man to death in 2012.

The court handed down the ruling Tuesday in the case of William Rodgers, 33, who was convicted by a jury in Creek County of first-degree murder for the Sept. 23, 2012, shooting death of Robert Travis.

Investigators say Travis was shot once in the chest with a handgun at the Oaks Mobile Home park off West 85th Street where Rodgers also lived following an early-morning argument.

Among other issues, Rodgers claimed he was immune from prosecution under Oklahoma's Stand Your Ground law. But the appeals court ruled Rodgers waited too long to seek immunity.

9/24/2012 Related Story: Sapulpa Noise Complaint Leads To First Degree Murder Arrest

Rodgers is serving his sentence at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.