Off to prison

A man and woman arrested last year in connection with the stabbing death of a Chico man in the parking lot of the downtown 7-Eleven were sentenced in Butte County Superior Court June 3.

Joshua Michael Epstein, 30, of Los Angeles, got a seven-year state prison term and Stephanie Marie Vogel, 24, of Paradise, received a three-year term in the death of 45-year-old Randell Sexton last August.

According to a press release from the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, on Aug. 31 Epstein was “shushed” by Sexton while inside the store. Once outside, a verbal altercation erupted. Sexton slapped Vogel, who then hit him with her skateboard. Epstein then punched and stabbed Sexton, who was pronounced dead an hour later.