A 73-year-old Vancouver, Wash., man has been sentenced to more than 23 years in prison for fatally shooting his wife of more than two decades over a financial dispute related to their pending divorce.

The Columbian reports ( http://is.gd/3IBEK2) that the sentence given Victor Frye was the maximum under state sentencing guidelines.

Deputy Prosecutor Dan Gasperino said the man shot his 67-year-old wife Nita six times last Nov. 12 after he found her handwritten notes indicating she had plans for their money that differed from what they previously had agreed upon.

Superior Court Judge Daniel Stahnke told the defendant he'd listened to an audio recording of Frye's confession, in which the man described how his wife repeatedly pleaded for her life.

The judge told Frye "it's a terrible thing you did to Nita, to her family and to your family."

Frye pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to a reduced charge of second-degree murder.

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Information from: The Columbian, http://www.columbian.com