The sentence for a Lake Charles resident convicted in the 2017 fatal beating of a local man has been affirmed by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Rolando Anthony Massingill pleaded guilty to an amended charge of manslaughter on Aug. 29, 2019, in the death of Wayne Keith Reynaud, 68, who died of blunt-force trauma inside his home on East Greenway Street. The prosecutor said Reynaud was beaten to death and his body wasn’t discovered until days later.

Massinghill, who was originally indicted for second-degree murder, was sentenced to 35 years at hard labor to be served following a one-year sentence on an unrelated charge for battery of a correctional facility employee.

Massingill appealed on Sept. 25, 2019, what he deemed a constitutionally excessive sentence “under the circumstances,” stating his written plea agreement recommended 30 years at hard labor. The motion was denied by the trial court the same day.

A 2019 appeal of his sentence with the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals was withdrawn by his defense attorney last month, noting the plea agreement only included a nonbinding recommendation as to sentencing.

The 3rd Circuit Court granted the motion to withdraw and affirmed Massingill’s sentence, stating he benefited from pleading guilty to manslaughter rather than receive a mandatory life sentence for a second-degree murder conviction.