The Jacksonville man convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of his high school classmate last year was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.
Frederick Wade was facing 25 years to life after being found guilty in April of killing 20-year-old Kalil McCoy.
The jury deliberated for just 30 minutes before finding him guilty.
Prosecutors said Wade shot McCoy during a heated argument. McCoy wanted her window rolled up in the SUV they were in with three other students at Andrew Jackson High School.
Our news partner Channel 4 reports that prosecutor David Thompson said if Wade drove her to the hospital right after the shooting, she may have lived.
Defense attorneys argued Wade did not kill McCoy but told police he did so accidentally because he was tired after being interrogated by police for nearly seven hours.
Prosecutors said the testimonies given by the three men in the backseat of the SUV didn’t match up.
Kennard Mahone, Jonathan Brooks and Alfred Mears pleaded guilty to “accessory after the fact” in the case. They admitted to helping dispose McCoy’s body.
Brooks was sentenced in June to 15 years in prison. Mahon and Mears will be sentenced on August 20, 2012.
“Thank God justice was served,” said Lynnette Roebuck, McCoy’s mother. Roebuck says she still has no closure.
Assistant State Attorney’s David Thompson and Janeen Mira tried the case.
Wade was initially charged with manslaughter until the charge was upgraded in January to second-degree murder.
