A jury has decided that Markus Deron Guy, 32, will receive a sentence of life in prison with the opportunity to ask for parole after 15 years for a first-degree murder conviction.
He is not guaranteed parole at that time and will be sentenced on two other charges in April.
The same jury on Friday convicted Guy of the first-degree murder of Koda Bryson Jarrett, 14, and second-degree murder of Alisha Brooke Carnefix, 39.
They also convicted him of using a firearm during the felony.
The victimsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ family members were mostly silent when the sentence was announced. As he was led out, Guy apologized, saying ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI hope you can forgive me.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers will sentence Guy on the second-degree murder conviction and a related weapons conviction on April 23.
He faces up to 50 years imprisonment on those charges. Defense attorney Mark Plants said ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” depending on the judgeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s sentence ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Guy will not be able to ask for parole for 27½ years, at the longest.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œEverybodyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s better than the worst thing they ever did. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a hard thing to ask jurors to judge people for not only what they did in a split second but judge them 15 years from now,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Plants said.
Debra Rusnak, Kanawha County prosecuting attorney, said the victimsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ family has ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œsuffered more, endured more and survived more than any family should have to.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhile those who knew and loved these victims will never be the same, we only hope the convictions.... bring some semblance of peace and justice to this fractured family,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Rusnak said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhatever happens at sentencing..., the defendant will be an old man before he breathes free air again, and that is justice.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
MotherÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s testimony
Defense attorney Ed Bullman called Guy, his mother Candra Guy and a family friend to ask for a sentence of mercy.
At MondayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s hearing, evidence presented detailed previous interactions Markus Guy had with law enforcement, including two times his mother called the police.
Candra Guy said she was not afraid of her son at those times but tried to restore order to her home. Markus Guy has two sons, an 11-year-old and a 23-month-old, she said. He is a good father.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI love my son, and I donÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t want to see him serve the rest of his life in prison when he has two sons that dearly need a father,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said.
Under cross-examination, Candra Guy said she prayed for JarrettÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s and CarnefixÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s family every day.
Guy said he has a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜good heartÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™
Guy apologized to the family and asked for forgiveness. He said he had a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œgood heartÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and asked the jury for mercy.
He said he left the victims in the home and didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t call 911 because he was scared and didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t know what to do.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d just like to let you know that I really believe that my kids need me and with the verdict that came back, thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a good chance IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll miss a lot of their lives,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d still like the possibility to maybe be in my grandkidsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ lives.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Jarrett ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜transcended friend groupsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™
The state called four witnesses who knew Jarrett well.
All described him as sweet, caring and joyful. He played the trombone in the band at Winfield Middle School and had aspirations of being a pilot.
Matt Shock, Winfield Middle principal, wore a neon pink shirt in honor of Jarrett, whose favorite color was pink. Shock said he noticed that Jarrett ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œtranscended friend groupsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and was friends with everyone in the cliquey environment of middle school.
A Winfield Middle School award, called the Koda Jarrett Memorial Band Award, honors JarrettÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s memory by providing a WMS student with funds to do something better in the community ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œas Koda would have done.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Hailey Douglas, 15, was JarrettÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s cousin and best friend. She wore a pink shirt and a pink button that said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œFly High Koda.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Shortly before his murder, Douglas and Jarrett went sledding. At the bottom of the hill, Jarrett said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis is probably the closest weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll ever be.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t think it actually would be,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Douglas said.
The two were always laughing, she said. To Jarrett, everything was ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œhilarious.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIf yÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™all ever met him, he would change your life in the most positive way. Everyone around him was always smiling. If you had a bad mood he would cheer you up in an instant,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThere wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t a time when I was around Koda where I was sad or upset because he was so bright.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
