Christopher Cannon is escorted in district court in Chicora Tuesday afternoon by state police Trooper Max Deluca. Cannon is charged with killing James. S. Martin in his East Butler home. Photo by Joe Genco.

A Butler man charged with stabbing another man to death in December 2016 is expected to be sentenced to more than 17 years in prison at the end of the month after pleading guilty to third-degree homicide.

The plea agreement entered into by Christopher M. Cannon, 28, calls for a total sentence of 17¾ years to 42¼ years in state prison, when he is sentenced on July 31.

Cannon pleaded guilty June 29 to third-degree homicide and three counts of felony theft before Judge William Shaffer.

Cannon was charged in the killing of James S. Martin, 74, on Dec. 30, 2016, in Martin's East Butler home on Tenth Street, after the two had met following a Craigslist interaction.

State police said Martin had made a posting on Craigslist, to which Cannon responded via email and sent a sexually explicit photograph of himself, before arranging a meeting at Martin's home.

A friend visiting Martin for a breakfast date the next day found him dead on the kitchen floor. Cannon's girlfriend was interviewed by police, according to the complaint, and identified Cannon as the person in the sexually explicit photograph that was sent to Martin.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope declined to comment on the case pending sentencing, but said that Martin's death was a “tragedy” and commended the state police on their “excellent job” in investigating the case.

Read the full story in the Butler Eagle.