The second of two men convicted of killing a third man in Murray has been sentenced to prison.

Brandon Christopher Wallace, 25, was sentenced Monday to one to 15 years behind bars for the Sept. 17, 2006, slaying of 25-year-old Marchello Cecala in the parking lot of a Murray apartment building. Wallace had pleaded guilty to second-degree felony manslaughter in connection with Cecala's death.

The second gunman, Anthony David Milligan, 22, was convicted by a 3rd District Court jury last year and is serving a 15-years-to-life prison term.

At his trial, Milligan denied killing Cecala and blamed the shooting on Wallace, who had challenged the victim to a fistfight during a party. Wallace, on the other hand, denied having a gun and testified Milligan fired nine or 10 shots from a 9 mm pistol he habitually carried.

But others testified Wallace told a friend, who was wearing a wire, that he fired four or five shots at Cecala, then tossed the gun to Milligan, who emptied the clip. Cecala, who was driving away to avoid the confrontation started by Wallace, was struck in the heart by a bullet and crashed his car into a tree.

Milligan has also been accused of another murder.

Milligan and Marco Mike Heimuli, 23, are charged with first-degree felony murder for the July 4, 2006, slaying of 18-year-old Tevita Finau Vaenuku near 400 North and 1800 West in Salt Lake City.

Milligan and Heimuli both fired at Vaenuku as he ran from

a party. Vaenuku had arrived after his girlfriend telephoned to say she and her cousin were being assaulted by other partygoers, according to testimony at a 2008 preliminary hearing.

Milligan and Heimuli are scheduled for trial Sept. 14.

shunt@sltrib.com