Man sentenced to life after fatal stabbing

46-year-old convicted last year in 2012 killing

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man convicted of stabbing and killing a man during a fight has been sentenced to life in prison.

Police charged John Swearingden, 46, with the murder of Richard Haddon, 37, in March 2012.

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Police said Haddon had gone camping and fishing, and Swearingden tried to rob him in a public park along Hecksher Drive on the Northside.

According to police, Swearingden chased down and stabbed Haddon. He was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with life-threatening injuries and died the next day.

According to Swearingden's arrest report, he admitted to stabbing Haddon but said it was in self-defense. Officers said Swearingden had no defensive wounds or witnesses to back his claim.

Swearingden went to trial in November and was convicted after only 13 minutes of deliberations.

On Friday, he was sentenced to life in prison.