Connor Crowe, from West Virginia, is going to jail and will be staying there for two uninterrupted 40-year prison terms for killing his mother and sister.

After giving up his right to a jury trial or a juvenile court trial, Crowe entered a plea of guilty to second-degree murder in November of last year. When he murdered his mother Melissa Rowland, 39, and his sister Madison, 15, he was 13 years old.

Harshest Punishment For Crowe

Although Crowe’s 16-year-old age was a consideration in their request for a less sentence, Hancock County Circuit Judge Jason Cuomo imposed Crowe the harshest punishment possible.

The judge reminded Crowe how old his sister was when he shot her and that by killing her at an early age, the opportunity to obtain the good things in life was all gone.

The judge also emphasized that because of what he did, his sister will never have the opportunity to complete high school, enroll in college, walk down the aisle with their father at a wedding, or have children of her own.

Premeditation

According to investigators of the case, Crowe fled the Weirton residence following the shooting and claimed it was the fault of an outsider. However, gunshot residue was discovered on Crowe, according to prosecutor Steven Dragisich, and there were no indications that someone had broken into the house or fled from it.

Dragisich stated on Tuesday that the teenager knew what he did was wrong; that he has thought about it and clearly understood that it was wrong, yet he proceeded with the act.

On top of the premeditated act, he thought of an alibi that showed the danger present, and the mitigating circumstances pale in comparison to what transpired given his mental state.

After 15 years, Crowe might be eligible for parole. He won’t be moved to an adult facility until he becomes 18, at which point he will stay in the juvenile justice system.

The photo above is from Pexels