Feb. 5—Six months after a jury failed to reach a verdict in his second-degree murder trial, William “Bill” Nofsinger has pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in a 2021 killing at a Southeast Albuquerque apartment complex.

The plea clears the way for Nofsinger’s release from jail after nearly 21 months in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center, his attorney, Graham Dumas, said Monday.

Under terms of the plea agreement, District Judge Stan Whitaker sentenced Nofsinger, 62, on Thursday to 18 months in custody at MDC and gave him credit for time served.

At Nofsinger’s trial in July, a 2nd Judicial District Court jury deadlocked 8-4 in favor of acquittal on a charge of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 60-year-old Michael Watley.

Albuquerque police were called Sept. 19, 2021, to an apartment complex in the 1300 block of Wellesley SE, north of Gibson, where they found Watley dead outside a laundry room, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

At Nofsinger’s trial, both defense and prosecution attorneys said that a fight between the two men began when Watley punched Nofsinger in the head following an escalating disagreement.

Nofsinger’s attorneys told jurors in closing arguments that Nofsinger feared for his life and killed Watley in self-defense.

Dumas told jurors in closing arguments that Watley refused to back off, even after Nofsinger drew a knife. Nofsinger was backed against a wall and feared for his life, the attorney said.

Prosecutors described the case as a “rage killing” in which Watley was stabbed 16 times and had his throat slit during a fight between the two men. They argued that the extent of Watley’s injuries indicates that Nofsinger did not act in self-defense.

Nofsinger became infuriated with Watley and determined to kill him with what prosecutors described as a hunting knife, they said.