Texas man gets life in prison in torture case

WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who tortured his former neighbor while holding her captive nearly two weeks has been sentenced to life in prison.

Jeffrey Allan Maxwell was sentenced Wednesday after jurors deliberated about 50 minutes. The 59-year-old will be eligible for parole after serving 60 years.

He was convicted Tuesday of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated sexual assault. He faced a minimum sentence of probation.

After abducting his ex-neighbor last March, he drove 100 miles away to his Corsicana home, 50 miles south of Dallas. Then he whipped and sexually assaulted her on a deer-skinning device. He assaulted her on his bed and kept her chained there during most of the ordeal. She was rescued when authorities went to question him about her disappearance after her house burned down.