Long prison terms in Santa Rosa drug slaying

PAUL PAYNE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Two men convicted of murder in the death of a Santa Rosa drug dealer during a home-invasion robbery have been sentenced to life in prison.

Ernest Paul Cassidy, 29, and William Sylvester Hammock, 42,both of Santa Rosa, were sentenced in the Jan. 20, 2009 slaying of Jody Reynolds, 43.

Jurors in October convicted the men of murder, burglary, robbery and possession of firearms by felons.

On Friday, Cassidy was sentenced to 30 years to life and Hammock got 64 years to life because of his prior violent felony record, prosecutors said.

Another co-defendant, Nathan McGill, also received a life term earlier this year. A fourth man, Felix Alvarado, is expected to be tried in February.

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