21-Year-Old Sentenced To 50 Years In Baltimore Bartender's Murder
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- A 21-year-old man was sentenced Friday to life, with all but 45 years suspended, in the first-degree felony murder of a Baltimore bartender, plus five consecutive years for the crime of gang participation resulting in death.
Malik Mungo was convicted in October of first-degree felony murder, robbery and gang-related charges in the 2017 shooting death of Sebastian Dvorak.
"Today's sentencing brings this sad story to a close," Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said in a statement. "We hope it provides a measure of solace to he family of Sebastian Dvorak."
Dvorak was robbed and shot in the chest in Canton on June 13, 2017, while walking home on Boston Street after celebrating his 27th birthday.
"For us there is absolutely no joy," said Lisa Richard, Dvorak's mother, as she held back tears. "We don't get him back, we don't get to hold him again but there is absolutely relief that there is no one out there thinking they got away with murder."
Before the judge handed down the sentence, Mungo's mother and sister told the court that he had a difficult childhood, including struggles with mental illness that required medication.
Mungo was 16 at the time of the murder. Now 21, he cried in court and told Dvorak's family, "I've prayed and asked for your forgiveness."
It was an emotional day for everyone involved.
"My heart was breaking on both sides," said Carolyn Simmons, Mungo's foster mother. "It was pain on both sides."
Attorney Mark Van Bavel, who represents Mungo, said his client is sorry for what happened.
"He was crying at the end, and he's always been very sorry for what took place," Van Bavel said.
Mungo is one of 13 defendants who were charged in 2018 with gang, drug and firearms offenses after Dvorak's murder. All of them have either pleaded guilty or been convicted in court, prosecutors said.
"I appreciate the hard work of the Organized Crime Unit and our law enforcement partners in helping to bring all 13 defendants to justice," Frosh said.
In Maryland, someone charged with a crime, such as robbery, that results in a killing can be charged with felony murder.
Dvorak was a beloved Baltimore bartender who was on his way home from a birthday celebration the night he was killed.
His father, David, said he's forgiven anyone who had anything to do with his son's murder.
"He meant the world to us, we miss him," David Dvorak said. "We miss him like I can't even explain."
He said the outcome is tragic for everyone involved.
Even though the murder happened in Baltimore City, the case was transferred to Baltimore County because officials say some of the gang members involved lived in the county and kept drugs there.
