OCALA, Fla. – Two people who were teenagers when they were arrested in a triple homicide case in Marion County in 2023 will go to prison for life.
Tahj Brewton received three life sentences for first-degree murder and a fourth life sentence on a charge of robbery with a firearm.
Brewton also received eight years and seven days in prison for evidence tampering.
Brewton was 16 when he was arrested in the killings of three teenagers: 17-year-old Camille Quarles, 16-year-old Layla Silvernail and 17-year-old Michael Hodo Jr., in March of 2023.
Robert Robinson was also arrested for the killings. He was 17 at the time. On Wednesday, Robinson was sentenced to five life terms plus 132.3 months in prison.
At the time of the arrest, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said the killings appeared to be a case of gang-affiliated juveniles turning on each other.
During the hearing, Judge Robert Hodges asked one of the state’s witnesses if Robinson ever said why they did this in the first place.
“The why was because of wanting a firearm that Mr. Hodo had,” said an investigator with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
“My son is in a jar on my mantle, and I’ll never get to speak to him again,” said Michael Hodo’s father in an impact statement read by a victim’s advocate. “I’ll never get to hug him again and tell him I love him. I’ll never be able to tell him how proud I am of him. I’ll never be able to see and be proud of the man I knew he was going to be.”
Robinson’s mother, Erica Trowell, was also in the courtroom on Wednesday. She asked the judge to consider a sentence that allows him to grow, get help and enter society as a changed man.
“Your honor, I’m not asking you to ignore what happened,” Trowell said. “I’m only asking for mercy. For the opportunity for Robert to prove that he is more than just his worst decision.”
Robinson also addressed the courtroom and the judge on Wednesday prior to his sentencing.
“I made bad choices,” Robinson said. “It ain’t no excuses for my choices I’m not going to make excuses for it or blame anybody but myself. I just wanted to apologize.”
Prior to delivering his sentence, Judge Robert Hodges said life imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence for the crimes.
“The offenses in this case are absolutely heinous,” Hodges said. “The heinousness of the offenses outweighs any mitigation.”
Christopher Atkins, who was 12 at the time, was the third teenager arrested in the case.
Atkins was sentenced to 40 years behind bars on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to first-degree murder last April.
There’s an option to review his sentence after 25 years.
[WATCH: Marion County teen sentenced to 40 years in prison for 2023 triple homicide]
State Attorney William Gladson, said Atkins pleaded guilty in April and agreed to testify against his co-defendants, and Brewton pleaded guilty in June.
Robinson pleaded no contest in June, avoiding a trial.
“Justice demanded nothing less than full accountability,” Gladson said in a statement. “These convictions honor the stolen lives of Layla, Michael and Camille while affirming that no one — regardless of age — may brutally take the life of another without facing the gravest consequences."