By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

An Ellis man was sentenced to just shy of 24 years in prison for shooting another man in the back of the head during an argument.

Ryan Paul Thompson was sentenced Thursday in Ellis County District Court in the death of 26-year-old Diego Gallaway on Feb. 27 in Hays. He was also sentenced for drug distribution.

Thompson was sentenced to 272 months for second-degree intentional murder and 15 months for distribution of methamphetamine — a total of 287 months in prison. He had pleaded guilty of the counts in September.

On Feb. 27, Thompson and Kylie Waldschmidt went to the 2700 block of Indian Trail to talk with Gallaway when, according to court documents, Thompson put Gallaway in a headlock and fatally shot him in the back of the head.

Thompson was also ordered to pay the Gallaway family $13,694 in restitution for Gallaway’s funeral.

Waldschmidt has been charged with aiding and abetting felony first-degree murder. Her case is still pending in Ellis County District Court.

Alysha Meade, the woman who investigators said gave Thompson the gun used in the murder, was sentenced Monday to 15 months in prison for felony drug possession.

In September, she pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor charges: distribution of a firearm to a felon, possession of marijuana and interference with a law enforcement officer, as well as felony possession of methamphetamine.

The three misdemeanor counts total two and a half years in county jail, so if she violates her probation once she is out of jail, she can be sentenced to county jail.

CLARIFIED 3:20 p.m. Wednesday to clearly state charges.