With tears in her eyes, a mother expressed in court on Wednesday how hard life is and how much she has changed since her daughter was killed in early 2011.
"I've had five years to process this," said Catherine Crago. "I can safely tell you that time does not heal all wounds."
Jasmine Armour's mother spoke to the court for 20 minutes about how difficult life is after the death of a child, how she has not - but wants to - forgiven her daughter's killer, and the details of Armour being shot by her roommate, Marcus Gottsche, on February 10, 2011.
After a night of drinking, Gottsche and Armour returned home and began fighting after Armour started eating Gottsche's leftover sandwich. Gottsche went upstairs, grabbed his rifle, and then shot Armour in the back as she tried to run out of the house.
Da Flaherty: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and her friends. It's so disheartening when a young life is taken for nothing."
— 7 Eyewitness News (@WKBW) August 17, 2016
Gottsche was convicted of second degree murder by a jury in December 2011. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. A motion filed by Gottsche last year found he was denied effective representation by his attorney, dismissing the verdict.
In court Wednesday, Gottsche's current attorney, J. Michael Marion, said those who know Gottsche are shocked he would ever do something like this. He is described as a helpful person and hard-working member of society.
Gottsche's attorney asked the court for forgiveness on Gotsche's behalf, saying he is a good person who had a momentary lapse in judgement
— 7 Eyewitness News (@WKBW) August 17, 2016
DA Flaherty says Gottsche's actions are enough to show that he is a threat to Buffalo
— 7 Eyewitness News (@WKBW) August 17, 2016
"I ask this court to take into consideration his parents and his family and ask this court for mercy," said Marion.
"I still miss her," said Gottsche. "I know that forgiveness is not lightly given, but I hope someday it is."
Gottsche and Crago exchanged letters during his time in jail. Crago was hoping that Gottsche's guilty plea would give her answers about what exactly happened that early morning back in 2011. She says she still looking for the truth.
After listening to all statements Wednesday and looking over his notes from the 2011 sentencing, Justice Russell Buscaglia sentenced Gottsche to 22 and a half years in prison, plus five years post-release supervision.
"Not only did you take a life, but you shattered a family forever," said Justice Buscaglia.
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