Sincere Smith, who murdered Omarion Wilson, has been sentenced to at least eight years in prison. Under the sentence, handed out by Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones, the killer will have to serve between 8 and 25 years in jail.
This sentence is in accordance with an earlier plea deal that saw Smith plead guilty under the Alford doctrine to second-degree murder. As reported by KLAS, this means that the teen acknowledges that the prosecution had evidence to convict him but does not mean that he admits guilt to the crime.
The Exact Motives for the Murder Are Unclear
For reference, the murder occurred a year ago at the Platinum Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas. The victim, Omarion Wilson, 17, was celebrating a birthday party in the hotel at the time.
As seen on surveillance footage, Smith, then 15, showed up at a garage near the hotel with several other teenagers. Some of the juveniles in that group had allegedly quarreled with Wilson previously.
Smith took out a firearm and placed it into a backpack before entering the hotel with his companions. He wore a black cloth around his head, while his friends were wearing masks.
After shooting Wilson, Smith and his friends ran away from the crime scene. Wilson passed away at the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center shortly after. His death was attributed to a gunshot wound to the chest.
Smith will be eligible for parole from June 31, because of the time he has already spent in jail.
Wilson’s Family Misses Him
On the day of the sentencing, Wilson’s mother, Laquinna Wiggins, addressed the matter, lamenting the death of her son. Regretting that she had not been there to protect him, she said that she misses him a lot.
I wish this were a dream I can wake up from. Mama misses and loves you so much.
Laquinna Wiggins
Wiggins also noted that she buried her son in his prom outfit. The deceased teenager was in 12th grade at Legacy High School and was an acid football player and member of the track team.