PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 21-year-old man who was convicted of killing a Penn State-bound track star in 2018 will spend at least the next four decades in prison.
At the explosive sentencing hearing on Thursday, the mothers of both the victim and the defendant sobbed inconsolably in the courtroom, just a few feet away from each other.
The day before 18-year-old Kristian Marche was set to leave for Penn State on a track scholarship, Taron Small, who was 16 years old at the time, killed him. Marche, of West Oak Lane, was fatally shot in the back of the head.
The Marche family described their son as someone who was destined for greatness, who “beat the odds” before his life was cut tragically short.
Emotions ran high at the hearing. Marche’s father told Judge Scott O’Keefe he was sorry “Philadelphia creates this,” but “[Small] has to pay.”
Some of Small’s family members testified he is a loving, caring person who was “taken down the wrong path.” Small also testified, telling the court that “no man deserves to go through what I’m going through.” He has been incarcerated for the crime since he was 16 years old.
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Small was convicted of first-degree murder in February.
“I’m a human being too,” Small told the court. O’Keefe, however, said Small was totally unremorseful, and he sentenced him to at least 45 years to life in prison.
Shortly after, chaos erupted between Small and Marche’s families, and sheriffs had to intervene. No one was physically injured or arrested.