Man gets more than 30 years in airman's death

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage man will serve more than 30 years in prison for using a claw hammer to kill a fellow airman in 2012.

James Thomas was sentenced Friday in the death of Senior Airman Clinton Reeves. Thomas had earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges, KTUU reported (http://is.gd/l6rRAD).

Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack Smith refused Thomas' request to speak with Reeves' mother, Judy Davis.

Reeves, a 22-year-old Air Force fuel technician from Raytown, Missouri, failed to report for work at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage on April 23, 2012. His rental car was found a day later, with uniforms and groceries inside.

A high-profile search for Reeves followed, and his body was found May 8 in a ravine in suburban Anchorage.

An autopsy determined he died of blunt-force strikes to the head, and authorities said he was killed with a claw hammer.

Reeves' parents have said their son had received a check from an insurance company for more than $4,000 after a wreck totaled his vehicle. They said he was looking for a new car when he vanished.

According to court documents, Thomas and Reeves has spent time together looking at used vehicles.

Court documents allege Thomas cleaned blood off furniture and a carpet and disposed of cleaning rags, towels, paper towels and a love seat.