Man Gets More Than 200 Years In Newark Schoolyard Slayings
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- The third of six defendants in a Newark, N.J., schoolyard triple murder has been sentenced to more than 200 years in prison.
Alexander Alfaro was 16 at the time of the 2007 schoolyard killings that shocked New Jersey's largest city and led to anti-crime reforms. A jury convicted on 16 of 17 counts last month.
Dashon Harvey, Terrance Aeriel and Iofemi Hightower were shot execution-style behind Mount Vernon School, weeks before they were to attend Delaware State University. A fourth friend survived being shot and stabbed in the attack.
Alfaro admitted in a taped statement that he slashed one of the victims with a machete before all three were shot execution-style, but said he was coerced into giving a false confession when he was arrested two weeks after the murders.
Two other defendants are serving consecutive life sentences for the murders. Three defendants are awaiting possible trial dates.
Alfaro received 60 years each on two of the murders and 75 years on the third murder, to run consecutively. He also was sentenced to a consecutive term of 17 years for armed robbery.
The six suspects were caught within two weeks of the murders. Prosecutors have said the attack was orchestrated by a leader in the violent MS-13 street gang.
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