The last of three men has been sent to prison for the March 2015 drive-by shooting death of a 3-year-old Missouri boy who was sleeping in bed.
From The Kansas City Star, the driver, SirTerry L. Stevenson, 26, was sentenced to 15 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action. Prosecutors said the deadly shooting was retribution for the shooting death of gunman Dominique Marchbanks’ brother months earlier.
Amorian Hale was shot in the head when a barrage of bullets sprayed the Kansas City home while he slept. The toddler was killed instantly; two adults and three other children that were home weren’t injured.
Marchbanks was a passenger in the vehicle and used an assault rifle to shoot at the home. He was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action and was sentenced last December to 165 years in prison.
WDAF reported that Stevenson also fired at the home but his bullet wasn’t the one that killed the toddler.
Admitting guilt, Stevenson said, “It is true. I’m sorry for the loss of the little boy’s life…It shouldn’t have happened.”
Hale’s mother recalled being home with her three children and hearing gunshots—one of which sounded different than the others. She recounted how she opened her toddler son’s bedroom door to find him dead in his bed.
A third man, Sulif Wilkins, pleaded guilty to second-degree involuntary manslaughter in October. He received a four-year sentence that will run concurrently with a sentence for a federal gun charge, according to The Star.
[Featured image: Amorian Hale/GoFundMe]