Man who left partner to be eaten by mountain lions sentenced

The 24-year-old man who was charged with first-degree murder after his traveling partner’s remains were found along the Pima Canyon Trail, partially eaten by mountain lions, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Thornton was given just over 1,200 days of jail credit toward his sentence.

Daylan Thornton had pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and concealing a dead body.

The Pima County Sheriff’s investigator’s report said Thornton traveled to Tucson from Oklahoma with 66-year-old Steven Mark Brashear in December of 2019.

Thornton admitted he left Brashear injured to die along the Pima Canyon Trail, and he gave a reason.

He said Brashear was busy on the app Grindr, a gay dating app, and did not pay attention to him on the road trip.

Brashear was reported missing.

Thornton was captured in Brashear’s vehicle.