Ex-Marine gets life for killing Calif. drug dealer

25-year-old suffered severe brain injuries in Iraq bombing

Video: Crime & courts

Manhunt for alleged cop killer continues
Nov. 30: Police in Lakewood, Washington are still in pursuit of 37-year-old Maurice Clemmons, a former inmate suspected of gunning down four Washington State police officers Sunday. NBC's George Lewis reports.

Is the White House too lax with security?

Crashing the White House state dinner

Huckabee under scrutiny after police killings

Chief: 'We will all miss them very much'

Breaking news alerts (about 1 per day)
Click here to sign up or text NEWS to MSNBC (67622).

Find more alerts at alerts.msnbc.com

updated 6:14 a.m. ET Sept. 15, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. - A former Marine who served in Iraq has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing a California man to collect money owed for a drug debt.

Former Cpl. Ramon Hernandez was sentenced Monday for shooting David Pettigrew, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.

Two other Camp Pendleton Marines gave Pettigrew a laptop computer in exchange for an ounce of cocaine, prosecutors said.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

When the victim failed to give them the drugs, Anthony Vigeant and Trevor Landers recruited Hernandez to help collect the laptop.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to murder and two robbery counts and testified against them at trial.

Hernandez served two tours in Iraq and suffered severe brain injuries in a 2004 bombing.

More on: Iraq