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Vidor landlord sentenced to 12 years in prison for fatally shooting his tenant in 2017

On the day of the shooting a Vidor Police officer happened to be patrolling nearby and heard the gunshot.

VIDOR, Texas — A former Vidor landlord was sentenced to 12 years in prison Wednesday for fatally shooting his tenant in 2017.

James McClelland, 74, was found guilty of manslaughter August 2022 in Orange County's 163rd District Court for the shooting death of Chris Nicolasora, 38. 

He was sentenced by Judge Rex Peveto.

McClelland was 68 at the time of the shooting.

On the January 13, 2017, a Vidor Police officer happened to be patrolling near in the 1300 block of 1st Street in Vidor and heard a pop, Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll told 12News in 2017.

The officer looked toward the sound and saw Nicolasora walk outside a house and collapse on the lawn Carroll said in 2017.

RELATED: Vidor woman recounts moments before her boyfriends shooting death

Deanna White, who was Nicolasora's girlfriend at the time, lived with him in a trailer next to McClelland's house she told 12News in 2017.

Nicolasora had gone to McClelland's house to check on because he thought he was drunk she said.

She was surprised to hear gunshots and saw Nicolasora fall on the ground.      

"Chris came out the front door and ran to me and said he got shot and fell to my feet and I kept yelling stay with me, stay with me," she said in 2017.

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The couple had lived in the trailer for only about two weeks when the shooting happened according to White

Nicolasora had recently gotten back on his feet after being homeless for some time following his hospitalization in a diabetic coma several years prior White told 12News in 2017.

"I'm mad at him he killed my best friend and a good person and hurt a lot of people for no reason," White said days after the shooting.     

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