A Nebraska man was sentenced to death after shooting into a home at the wrong address and killing an innocent 15-year-old girl while sleeping.
Selassie Spencer, 20, was sentenced to 75 to 90 years in prison, with parole possible after 40 years, for the death of Synthia Elliott.
He pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and the use of a deadly weapon. According to the Omaha World-Herald, he will be required to be released in approximately 47 years.
“[It’s] some type of relief,” Elliott family friend Malaiya Wagner told local ABC affiliate KETV following the judge’s decision. “She deserved life. She was only fifteen. She was sleeping inside her own home.”
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Spencer apologized, saying, “Taking a life is a burden I will carry for the rest of my life,” the outlet reported.
On Nov. 30, 2022, Spencer and three others opened fire from the driveway into a home at 37th and Pinkney Streets in Omaha, according to police.
Synthia was discovered dead in her bedroom. Spencer and three other people were quickly arrested by Omaha police.
One man has pleaded no contest and is awaiting sentencing, while the other two are scheduled for trial in March.
According to the World-Herald, the shooters attempted to locate their target’s address using Google Maps but were unsuccessful, so they found the nearest home instead.
“It’s hard to comprehend exactly what they were thinking,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine told local NBC affiliate WOWT. “But it appears the person they were intending to shoot wasn’t [Elliott], and they might have even been at the wrong address.”
In January 2023, Synthia’s grandmother told the World-Herald that she believed the shooters had been set up.
“Either that or they just totally got the wrong house,” she told me.
Spencer’s defense attorney, Michael Bianchi, emphasized his client’s upbringing and criminal history, which included time in state prison before he killed Synthia.
“My client has a wonderful mother and had a difficult childhood. We’re here today because our client’s stupidity caused this poor young lady to be absent,” Bianchi explained.
According to her obituary, Synthia attended North High School, where she was a member of the Black Student Leadership Council and an athletic assistant for the sports department.
She was “truly an amazing young lady” who enjoyed listening to music, dancing, and creating TikTok videos.
“But most importantly, she loved family gatherings,” the obituary stated. “Synthia’s natural instinct was to help those in need.
She did not wait for anyone to ask; she simply did it. She was always willing to do what she could for others. She gave without a hidden agenda. Synthia was the friend everyone desired but did not deserve.