Man gets at least 25 years in prison for carjacking death
The mourning mother of a Warren carjacking murder victim revealed Tuesday she learned of a “miracle” days after he died: his girlfriend was pregnant.
Yolanda Richards, mother of murder victim Danny Richards, spoke Tuesday at the sentencing of Anthony Deandre Walker, who shot and killed Richards, 23, in September 2019 outside a Taco Bell at Eight Mile and Ryan roads.
“Through this tragedy there was a miracle,” Richards said in a statement mostly read by an assistant prosecutor. “Three days before we buried my son, we found out his girlfriend, now my bonus daughter, was with child. We’re grateful for my granddaughter, and she is almost 1 now. She is beautiful and we love her so much. But she is not my son, and no one can take the place of him. He would have been a great dad. Danny came from a family of love.”
In the hearing shown over youtube.com in Macomb County Circuit Court, she described the devastating loss of her son, who was innocently occupying the front passenger seat of a car driven by a man targeted by Walker and his codefendant.
“I know God allows all things to happen, but this one left my family shattered, broken and destroyed. I don’t understand why this happened to my son. He was harmless, scared and tried to get away,” she said. “It feels as if someone cut my chest open without any anesthesia, ripped my heart out, cut my heart into pieces and put it back with that missing piece.”
Walker, 26, of Warren, was sentenced by Judge Julie Gatti to a total of 25 years in prison after pleading no contest to second degree murder, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. It was part of a plea deal. Walker initially faced a charge of first-degree felony murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
The case of co-defendant, Deonte T. Rice, 29, of Detroit, has not been resolved. Rice is charged with felony murder, carjacking and armed robbery and faces an April 13 pretrial in front of Gatti.
Walker shot Richards two or three times with a .380 handgun in the chest about 11 p.m. Sept. 1, 2019 during the carjacking. Walker and Rice, who were in an SUV, pulled over the driver of a 2005 Mercedes and stole his Rolex watch and neck chain. Richards was shot as he tried to flee, stumbled to his sister’s vehicle nearby and was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Rice drove away in the SUV and Walker drove the Mercedes, which was found an hour later burned out on Sherwood Street near Seven Mile Road in Detroit, Fox said.
Police arrested Walker and Rice the next day.
Walker at the hearing apologized to Yolanda Richards, who appeared by audio.
“I am truly, truly sorry for my actions that caused you to lose your son,” he said by video from the county jail. “I pray every night to God that he brings peace to your family and to mine.
“I wish it never happened at all. My family needs me, especially my two children.”
He said he hopes to rehabilitate himself in prison – get an academic and religious education. He knows his dream of becoming a “rap star” has disappeared but he hopes to open a small business or art museum after he leaves prison, likely when he is in his 50s.
Walker had a difficult childhood. He was abused by his father, who later went to prison. He gained a “father figure” in his uncle, but he was killed, according to his attorney, Jeff Cojocar.
His mother worked two jobs to support her four children and “was living on the streets” at a young age, Cojocar said. He began smoking marijuana at age 7, drinking alcohol at age 12 or 13 and then began selling drugs.
“This is a man who went down the wrong path,” Cojocar said.
Gatti told Walker she hopes he will follow through and rehabilitate himself while incarcerated.
“I hope that what you said today is truly where your heart is, and you’re going to find the better parts of your nature while you’re incarcerated and come out a better man and a better citizen and perhaps a role model to your brother or children,” she said.
Gatti noted the impact of Richards’ murder. While his daughter will be raised by a loving family, “A little girl will grow up without a father because of what you did. She will never receive a letter from her dad, she will never receive a kiss from her dad or a hug from her dad.”
Richards agreed with the plea in the case but still said, “25 years is not enough. It will never be enough for taking the life of our son. It was agreed upon under the circumstances. But this case … is too much to handle.”
“She’s obviously not satisfied with any number. No parent could be. But she agreed to it, and again this morning confirmed to me she does agree with moving forward with the plea, understanding the 25year sentence,” Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Steve Fox said.