An accomplice pleaded guilty Monday for his role in a Lehigh Valley killing spree that claimed three people.
Robert Jourdain, 22, of the first block of North Fourth Street in Easton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit third-degree murder, for the crime spree committed July 5, 2015, in Easton and Allentown.
Under the deal, Jourdain’s minimum sentence is capped at 12 years. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in state prison.
The gunman, Todd West of Elizabeth, N.J., was charged with seven killings in all — the three in the Lehigh Valley and four before that in New Jersey.
West previously admitted to randomly gunning down Kory Ketrow in Easton, and Francine E. Ramos and Trevor D. Gray in Allentown.
Outrage at murderer’s words: ‘I just wanted to kill them’
In exchange for West’s guilty plea to three counts of first-degree murder, prosecutors dropped the death penalty. West was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the chance of parole.
West said he chose the victims at random.
West told investigators Ketrow looked tired as he was walking along Lehigh Street in Easton, and that he was going to “help” Ketrow. At his plea hearing, West said he killed the pair in Allentown because “I just wanted to kill them.”
The alleged getaway driver, Kareem Mitchell, is still awaiting trial in his case.
Mitchell, of Newark, previously told investigators he was giving Jourdain a ride with his 2-year-old son to Easton, and West, whom he had never met before, came with them.
After dropping off the child, the trio went to Allentown so West could get a haircut, then went to an after-hours club, according to police.
MORE: Easton man charged with two others in Allentown murders
Jourdain bought the ammunition for the killings at a Lower Nazareth Township Wal-Mart, prosecutors said, and Mitchell drive the Mercedes SUV the entire night, until it was disabled by a damaged wheel.
Eventually, Mitchell parked the damaged SUV in Allentown, bought a bus ticket back to northern New Jersey and walked around Allentown with the other two before taking a bus the night of July 6.
Police said West and Jourdain then robbed three men in separate incidents in Allentown, injuring two of the victims.
The pair were arrested after an Allentown officer saw them near North Morris and West Washington streets wearing clothes similar to those of two armed robbery suspects, police said.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
