SAC CITY – John David Green was sentenced Friday to 50 years in prison for killing his roommate, Mark Koster.

Green, 55, of Blairsville, Georgia, was convicted of second-degree murder on April 3.

Green, who argued self-defense during his trial, killed Koster, 58, of Sac City, in June 2009.

He admitted to burying the body in Koster’s Sac City basement and covering it with kitty litter and other items before leaving the state.

He was arrested in Florida in March 2014, about a year and a half after Koster’s remains were discovered in November 2012.

Before Green was sentenced, District Court Judge Gary McMinimee denied a motion from Charles Kenville, Green’s attorney, for a new trial.

“Although Mark Koster may well have started the altercation, the defendant continued the altercation,” McMinimee said. “Once he had reasonable control over the bat, his use of force was unreasonable.”

McMinimee’s comments referred to Green’s testimony during his trial. Green said he killed Koster after the victim attacked him with a baseball bat. Once he got control of the bat, Green said he got on top of Koster and “choked him out” with the bat.

Green declined the opportunity to speak on his own behalf at Friday’s sentencing.

None of Koster’s relatives were present at the hearing.

Sac County Attorney Ben Smith said he had not received any victim impact statements.

Green must serve 35 years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

In addition, Green was also ordered to pay $150,000 to Edgar Koster, Mark Koster’s father, and $1,512 to the Crime Victim Assistance Division of the Iowa attorney general’s office.

Green’s trial was originally moved to Webster County on a change of venue motion, but it was declared a mistrial on the first day of testimony.

It was later moved to Boone County.