Mom describes her son in court before his killer sentenced to 17 years

YOUNGSTOWN

Just before the man who killed her son was sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, Tauni Christian showed Judge Anthony M. D’Apolito what her son looked like at the beginning of his life.

Clutching a Feb. 21, 1995, ultrasound picture of Ralph Thomas, Christian said through tears Wednesday her son was a kind person whose loss will never leave her.

“My son was a very loving, careful and respectful person,” Christian said. “He didn’t like violence. He didn’t indulge in violence. My family has been totally destroyed by this.”

De’Ondre Gayles, 21, of Lemans Drive, Boardman, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the death of the 20-year-old Thomas, of Girard, who was killed July 19 during what police said was a marijuana sale at DuPont and Hammaker streets on the North Side.

Gayles pleaded guilty in December to charges of voluntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, being a felon in possession of a firearm and felonious assault.

Christian said her son never had children and she has few things left of him.

Read more of her remarks in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.