A Lexington man will serve 15 years in prison for two shooting deaths after appearing in court for his sentencing Wednesday morning.
Deonte Carter had previously been charged with murder in the death of 21-year-old Devon Sandusky, but took an Alford plea for an amended charge of complicity to commit manslaughter. An Alford plea allows a person to accept a sentence without admitting to the criminal act.
We Follow Through
Lexington man charged in 2021 murder, enters Alford plea on amended charge
LEX 18 was in the courtroom this morning and spoke with Sandusky's family, who feels the punishment is too lenient for the crime.
"You will not escape the reality of what you did," said Cristina Sandusky, Devon's mother, speaking in court just two days before what would have been her son's 25th birthday." You will carry the consequences of what you did for the rest of your life."
"Even in faith, I am still human, and I am angry. I am angry that you stole my child's life. You stole holidays. I am angry that my family is shattered."
In the late hours of December 17, 2021, Lexington police found Sandusky shot on Oak Hill Drive. He died at the scene.
One year later in 2022, LEX 18 was in court as Carter faced a judge for the first time on a charge of murder and followed every step through his Alford plea this past October to an amended charge of complicity to commit manslaughter.
Judge Julie Goodman ordered Carter to spend 15 years in prison for Sandusky's death and for the 2022 homicide of Kobby Martin. Carter apologized to the court during Wednesday's hearing.
But for a family who says they are desperately seeking justice, the sentence feels lenient.
"We were hoping for at least 20 years. But she ran the two murders, they can call it manslaughter, whatever they want. He murdered those boys in cold blood," Sandusky said.
Judge Goodman said justice has been served.
"Defense attorneys looked at all the facts. They looked at all the evidence. And what they found was there should not have ever been murder charges," Goodman said.
But for the family, the result seems anything but just.
"This is why people do what they do. This is why they're out here killing the way that they are. I can kill two people and what, get 15 years?" Cristina Sandusky said. "Hopefully something positive will come out of it because this ain't it."
