After the brutal killing of 18-year-old Tessa Majors last year, police say that one of the three teenagers involved in the murder had pleaded guilty to killing the teenage girl in December 2019.
The teenage suspect told police six months ago that he was involved in the mugging and eventually killing the Barnard College student. Majors was walking through the Morningside Park on the evening of December 11 when the three suspects confronted her in the park.
A sad turn of events
According to The New York Times, Major struggled against the three teenagers who later stabbed her, which resulted in her death. She was able to climb up a set of concrete steps before collapsing on 116th Street, found outside the park.
Officials said that one suspect placed Majors in a headlock when another stabbed her at least four times when she resisted the robbery. One stab hit her heart as she was heard yelling for help, saying she was being robbed.
The teenager's death, which happened in a time of record-low crime rate, reminded people of 30 years ago when the crime rate was at an all-time high, branding parks as dangerous locations.
Prosecutors had initially charged the suspect with second-degree felony murder as a juvenile. In his first appearance in court, when he was still 13 years old during his not guilty plea, he bit his bottom lip, indicating his apparent nervousness during the event in Family Court in late December.
Also Read: Nigerian Student Died Found Naked in a Pool of Blood Inside Church
The other two suspects involved with the crime are in custody and are waiting for their trial schedules for charges of murder. Authorities have added that the unnamed suspect in custody did not have a significant role in the crime and that he was not the one who stabbed Majors, as reported by USA Today.
The other two suspects, Rashaun Weaver and Luchiano Lewis, who are both 14 years old, had already been charged with second-degree murder and armed robbery amid the investigations surrounding Majors.
Taking responsibility
The Legal Aid Society, which represents the teen who pleaded guilty, said that Majors' death was a tragic event. "It caused incalculable pain to her loved ones and affected our entire city," they added.
The society also said that the plea for the first-degree robbery was in-line with their client's minimal role in the crime. They added that the teenager did not touch Majors or any of her property and that no evidence has supported the claim that he was linked with the murder.
The statement by the society also wrote that the suspect will likely live his entire life with the consequences of the event and that the plea deal will help him and his family in moving forward with their lives.
They also noted that his willingness to cooperate and taking responsibility was a significant leap that will allow him to achieve a successful future.
As part of the plea deal, Judge Carol Goldstein had agreed to drop the charges against the suspect with his cooperation in the investigation.
