Phoenix man to be sentenced in girlfriend’s shooting death

An Arizona man is scheduled to be sentenced Friday for his murder conviction in the 2017 shooting death of his girlfriend, whose body was later dumped in a lake north of Phoenix.

Kodi James Bowe, 29, had pleaded guilty to murder in the March 2017 death of 21-year-old Taylorlyn Nelson, who authorities say was shot inside the trailer that she shared with Bowe.

Bowe faces 10 to 25 years in prison for his murder conviction and 2 ½ to 7 years for an unrelated aggravated assault conviction.

Authorities say Bowe’s brother, 27-year-old Maxx James Bowe, held down Nelson’s shoulders while Kodi Bowe shot her in the head.

Investigators say the Bowe brothers and Kerrie Jaye Quaintance put Nelson’s body into a sleeping bag, which was then sewn shut. Rocks were added to the sleeping bag to weigh it down. Authorities say the sleeping bag was attached to the bottom of Quaintance’s paddle boat and was eventually dumped into the lake.

Four months later, divers recovered Nelson’s body at Lake Pleasant, located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Phoenix.

Maxx Bowe and Quaintance both pleaded guilty to hindering the prosecution. Maxx Bowe was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Authorities say Kodi Bowe had previously assaulted Nelson on several instances, including choking her and putting a gun to her head,

Investigators say they found blood and a 9-mm casing inside the trailer, and a bloody ottoman also was removed.

Authorities say a witness reported seeing Nelson’s dead body on a sofa.