JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A judge sentenced a 29-year-old man convicted of the 2011 abduction and murder of 20-year-old Michelle McCoy to life in prison.
It is a second life sentence for Kenneth Thompson, who was previously convicted of an armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon weeks after McCoy's death.
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While the jury was told that although Thompson did not kill McCoy, he was present when McCoy was abducted and killed, presumably by Thompson's uncle, therefore was still guilty of first-degree murder. Thompson's uncle took his own life during a standoff with police.
Before Circuit Judge Linda McCallum formally sentenced Thompson, he read a statement apologizing for his part in McCoy's death.
McCoy's family did not want to speak after the sentencing hearing. They said after Thompson's conviction last week they were relieved that justice was finally done.
"It's been a long four years, and we are happy. Now we are very happy," the victim's twin sister, Melissa McCoy, said. "I'm feeling wonderful. I'm glad they came out with the right -- we got justice for our family. Now we all can move on."
McCoy was seen being dragged into a minivan by a group of people in Northwest Jacksonville on Jan. 10, 2011. She was reported missing Jan. 13, and police did not go public with her kidnapping for nearly three weeks.
Her remains were found days later in a Northside lot. She'd been beaten, tortured and run over.
Tips also led police to their prime suspect in the abduction: Larry Thompson (pictured), a convicted rapist who pledged not to go back to jail and committed suicide during a SWAT standoff about a week after McCoy's remains were found.
Kenneth Thompson was long considered a person of interest in McCoy's slaying and was the last person seen with her on the day she disappeared. A year later, he was arrested and charged with her kidnapping and murder.
Kenneth Thompson said he had no motive to kill McCoy, but during the trial the prosecution highlighted a portion of Thompson's police interview in which he said a stolen cellphone was used as bait.