A Mississippi man will spend 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to severely beating a man outside a popular Tupelo restaurant in 2022.

Timothy Turner pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Thursday, Oct. 10, in Lee County Circuit Court.

A judge handed down a 40-year sentence, with 10 years suspended, leaving Turner to serve 30 years behind bars.

The incident occurred on April 16, 2022, in the parking lot of Steele’s Dive, a popular restaurant on West Main Street in Tupelo. Turner severely beat 31-year-old Leonard Cooper, who later died from his injuries that same day.

Turner was initially charged with first-degree murder but accepted a plea deal, resulting in the reduced charge.