WELD COUNTY, Colo. — A man was sentenced to 22 years in prison after a deadly hash oil explosion at a Greeley apartment in March.
Matthew Fry, 29, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and second-degree assault in June.
Fry was accused of extracting hash oil with butane from marijuana when the explosion occurred at a Greeley apartment complex along the 1300 block of 9th Street on March 5. One woman was killed and two people were severely burned.
In court during the sentencing Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Patrick Costigan said he believes it's a miracle that nobody else was killed that day.
“He knew the risks, yet he did it anyway,” Costigan said. “It’s an absolute tragedy that someone lost their life because of this reckless behavior. The other two victims who were severely injured will never be the same. Their lives are changed forever.”
Judge Vincente Vigil sentenced Fry to 22 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
“This was just a horribly tragic event,” Vigil said. “This was so stupid and so reckless that it now caused horrible consequences. This case is exactly the reason why this is an illegal act.”
