Farmer who fatally shot environmental officer in regional NSW dies less than a year into prison sentence

A farmer who fatally shot an environment officer over a land dispute has died less than a year into his sentence.

Ian Turnbull died from a terminal illness at the Prince of Wales hospital yesterday, a Corrective Services spokeswoman confirmed to 9news.com.au.

The 82-year-old had been moved to the hospital from Sydney’s Long Bay jail on March 20.

Turnbull was sentenced to serve at least 24 years in jail for murdering 51-year-old Glen Turner, and detaining his colleague, Robert Strange on July 29,2014 after the officers began an investigation into illegal land clearing.

Turnbull confronted the two Office of Environment and Heritage employees as they carried out compliance work near the farmer's property at Croppa Creek in the state's north.

He had been formally asked to stop, but continued to clear the land.

While standing trial in May 2016, he admitted to shooting Turner, but pleaded not guilty to murder. A jury took six and a half hours to find him guilty on May 27.

He was sentenced in June to a non-parole period of 24 years, and had served less than a year when he died yesterday.