Wichita Falls man sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - A Wichita Falls man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday for manslaughter.

William David Starnes, 51, took a plea deal to reduce his charge from murder to manslaughter. He reportedly assaulted a 64-year-old man, identified as William Stephens, who tried to intervene when he saw Starnes assaulting a 59-year-old woman in April of 2018.

Witnesses allegedly told officers Starnes struck Stephens in the head with a wooden board, critically injuring him. Stephens was rushed to United Regional and placed in ICU before dying.

Starnes fled from the scene and was later arrested at a home in the 1400 block of N. 6th Street.