Man Sentenced To 24 Years For Fatal Stabbing In Mpls. Parking Ramp
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thursday, a man learned he will spend 24 years in prison for stabbing and killing a woman in Minneapolis.
Forty-six-year-old Benjamin Love pleaded guilty to the crime he committed in a downtown parking ramp last summer.
Love admitted to trying to rob 31-year-old Mai Yer Cha and her friends when he stabbed her in her heart.
Love showed no emotion as family and friends of Cha read their victim impact statements to the judge.
"Because of Benjamin Love's horrendous and selfish actions that night we all lost a part of ourselves," Bao Hanson said.
Hanson was in the parking ramp with Cha back in July of 2017. She says witnessing such a violent act has shaken her to her core.
"Benjamin Love will never know what it's like to walk down the streets, constantly have to look over my shoulders even in the safest places," Hanson said.
None of the victim's family wanted their faces on camera but wanted everyone to hear how Love's actions changed their lives forever.
"My baby sister, the young lady you killed, represented all that is good. She was kind, genuine, giving, gentle, thoughtful and most of all brave. She helped everyone. She probably would have helped you if you asked," Mai Yer Cha's sister May Seng said.
A montage of Cha's life played on a video monitor as victim impact statements were read.
A family friend, Dr. Daniel Hess, expressed his anger for a man he says takes pleasure in hurting others.
"He is nothing more than a reptile. A sociopath," Hess said.
Love never looked away until a video was played of Cha's 7-year-old son Aidan. He spoke directly to Love, telling him, "It's not OK to kill my mom."
The video prompted an apology from the confessed killer.
"I know they probably don't believe me but it was an accident. It wasn't meant to happen and I'm willing to pay the consequences for my stupid mistake," Love said.
Love told the family he understand the pain the family is going through because at 13 he witnessed the murder of his mother.
Cha's family said no amount of prison time will ease their pain.