Man sentenced in 'baseball bat' killing

31-year-old killed in dispute over cutting barbecue meat

Booking photo of Alvin Welch.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man convicted on a manslaughter charge in the baseball bat beating death of 31-year-old Joshua Heinze has been sentenced to life in prison.

Alvin Welch, 36, faces a minimum mandatory of 30 years in prison.

Recommended Videos



Welch and several others attended a football party at Heinze's Santa Fe Street home.

Joshua Heinz

During the party, Welch and Heinze got into an argument over the way Welch was cutting the barbecue meat, state attorneys said.

As the dispute escalated, Welch struck the victim in the head with a baseball bat and then left. State attorneys said Heinze was taken to a hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

Welch made a stand-your-ground petition, claiming he was in fear for his life when he hit Heinze once in the head with the baseball bat. His petition was denied after a hearing last summer.