43
De’Ondre Gayles, 21, sentenced to 17 years for July murder
By Joe Gorman
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.
“I don’t have anything to hold onto him,” Christian said. “All I have is memories. My heart will hurt the rest of my life.”
Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Brevetta asked the judge for a sentence of 20 years. He said a long sentence is necessary because Gayles set up the meeting with Thomas and he could be seen on video lying in wait to ambush him.
Brevetta also said he wanted a sentence that would allow Gayles to have some kind of life when he gets out of prison, noting he has no adult criminal record.
Ron Yarwood, Gayles’ attorney, asked for a sentence well below 20 years. He said Gayles is genuinely remorseful and from the first time he met with his client, Gayles wanted to resolve the case and take responsibility for his actions.
“This is a young man who is redeemable,” Yarwood said.
Yarwood also said his client had a horrible childhood and turned to drugs to cope.
“I never intended for any of this to happen,” Gayles said. “I want his family to know, that despite this case, I am not this monster or killer that everyone makes me out to be.”
Judge D’Apolito said he agrees Gayles is genuinely remorseful and he is young enough to turn his life around, but he said someone died, and there has to be some punishment for that.
He also said the case involves two volatile mixes that do not go together – guns and drugs.
“This result cannot be shocking to anybody,” Judge D’Apolito said.