Arkansas Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Death Of Oklahoma Woman

Friday, November 9th 2007, 1:51 pm

By: News On 6

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) - A Fort Smith, Arkansas man convicted of first-degree murder in the death of an Oklahoma woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Christopher Gene Brewer pleaded guilty Thursday in the death of 30-year-old Celesta McBride. Prosecutors say the two met in Fort Smith where McBride had moved to from Poteau.

Brewer was arrested in June after taking Franklin County deputies to a spot on the Mulberry River where McBride's body was in Brewer's partially submerged Jeep. Christopher Brewer told investigators he met Celesta McBride at a Fort Smith motel and they decided to go fishing. He said the Jeep became stuck as they tried to cross the river and McBride was on the shore when he first went for help but was in the vehicle and dead when he got back.