Scott Mertins sentenced in shooting death of Robert Greene

RACINE CO. -- 46-year-old Scott Mertins was sentenced Monday, September 16th to 38 years behind bars after pleading guilty to reckless homicide.

Prosecutors say Mertins killed Robert Greene while trying to steal a motorcycle.

Greene was shot and killed at a home in the Town of Yorkville on August 26th, 2012.

After investigators spoke to several witnesses, they identified Mertins as a suspect in the case. That's in part because Mertins had problems with the owner of the property where the shooting took place. He was also identified as a disgruntled former employee.

The criminal complaint indicates Mertins fired the shot that killed Greene. He is also alleged to have stolen a car from the property. Investigators found a cell phone and money inside the car.

Investigators learned Mertins hopped on a bus to Texas to visit with "his daughter and his daughter's boyfriend." Authorities were in touch with the bus operator -- and had the bus stopped in New Madrid, Missouri where Mertins was arrested.