Montana man sentenced to state hospital for mother's murder

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana judge sentenced a Billings man to 75 years custody of the state health department for the murder of his mother and other crimes.

Judge Michael Moses sentenced Beau Daniel Papin, 21, in state district court on Friday, after declaring that the defendant who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia was in no condition to realize the severity of his crimes, The Billings Gazette reported.

Papin was charged with deliberate homicide in the Jan 11, 2021 killing of his 41-year-old mother, Jessica. In August, he entered a plea acknowledging there was enough evidence to convict him but not admitting guilt.

Papin also received five years to be served concurrently on charges of robbery and criminal endangerment, under a plea agreement between prosecutors and the defense. Nine other charges were dismissed.

He will serve his sentence at the State Hospital in Warm Springs, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito said.

The victim's father, Robert Papin, said during Friday's sentencing hearing that he and his wife had adopted the defendant when he was 8 years old.

Robert Papin blamed his daughter's death on "the demons that (Beau Papin) has had in his head since he was aged 14" and said they had forgiven him.