Life for gay bar killer

Gay said God told him to kill homosexuals

A court in the US state of Virginia has sentenced a Vietnam war veteran to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the killing of a gay man last year.

The man, Ronald Gay, told police at the time of his arrest that he was fed up with people making jokes about his surname.

I don't think four life terms is comparable with what he did to us, but I'm happy that he's going to be away for the rest of his life

Victim's sister

He had also said that he had been told by God to find homosexuals and "blow them away".

A psychologist told the court Mr Gay was deluded when he walked into a bar in Roanoke, Viriginia, used by homosexuals and committed the crime.

Witnesses at the scene of the killing said Mr Gay opened fire with a 9mm pistol after seeing two men hug each other.

He shot both men, one of whom died, then wounded five other people.

'Pleased'

The sister of the dead man, Danny Overstreet, said she was pleased with the verdict.

"I don't think four life terms is comparable with what he did to us, but I'm happy that he's going to be away for the rest of his life," Carol Overstreet said.

Mr Gay, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, told the authorities he had become obsessed with fulfilling four missions: To stop corruption, to stop communism, to bring Vietnam veterans "out of the mountains" and make all homosexuals move to San Francisco.