INDIANA — A state trooper was sentenced today to life in prison without parole for the bloody slashing death of his live-in girlfriend's estranged husband.

An Indiana County jury in March convicted Trooper Kevin Foley, 43, of first-degree murder in the slaying of Blairsville dentist John Yelenic. Today, County Judge William Martin imposed the automatic life sentence the verdict brings.

Foley denied killing Yelenic, but the jury rejected his testimony after six hours of deliberations.

Yelenic was killed April 13, 2006, a day before he was to sign divorce papers from his wife, Michele, who was living with Foley.

The divorce was so acrimonious that Yelenic's attorney tried unsuccessfully to get the divorce decree issued after his death.