LaMOURE (AP) - A man serving 10 years in prison for killing his neighbor has told the prosecutor and judge in his case that he wants his sentence reduced.

Steve Thomas, of Fargo, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 1999 shooting death of Norman Limesand, 82, of Marion, whose body has never been found.

Thomas was sentenced in February under an agreement in which he said he would help find Limesand's body in return for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Officials said that, despite hypnosis, Thomas could not remember where he put Limesand's body.

LaMoure County State's Attorney Kim Rademacher said Thomas notified her of his request for a reduced sentence. She said it shows a "continuing lack of acceptance of responsibility" for Limesand's death.

LaMoure County court officials said the request from Thomas, who is in prison at the James River correctional facility in Jamestown, had not been formally filed as of Wednesday, but he had sent the request to Rademacher and Judge James Bekken.

Rademacher said Thomas's request mentioned that he wanted to take care of his mother and become a productive member of society.

"I guess I was just a little disappointed to see it in this case, particularly because of the reduced plea that he received," Rademacher said.

"We were hoping that in an attempt to reduce the charge (from murder to manslaughter), that we would not only be provided with a sure conviction, but also we were hoping that we could provide some resolution to the family - which, unfortunately, we have not been able to offer at this time. We were under the impression he could possibly lead us to a body."

Authorities said Limesand and Thomas had argued over water drainage before Limesand disappeared on Nov. 12, 1999. His bloodstained truck was found abandoned in Moorhead, Minn., four days later. He was declared dead in 2002.

Thomas' mother, Bonnie Rosland, was sentenced to five months in jail for lying to a grand jury about her son's whereabouts on the day Limesand disappeared.