CLEBURNE, Texas — A Johnson County judge has sentenced a 13-year-old convicted of killing a Sonic employee to 12 years.
The delinquent will begin his sentence in juvenile detention before being moved to prison when he becomes an adult.
This sentencing comes almost six months to the day that the victim, Matthew Davis, was shot at the fast food restaurant in Keene.
Nearly 20 family members of the teen showed up to the courthouse in Cleburne for his sentencing hearing. Some of which, will testify on his behalf. Before the hearing began, the family gathered in the parking lot and prayed.
A jury found the 13-year-old delinquent, which is said to be "the equivalent of guilty," in the shooting death of Davis on Oct. 5, following seven hours of deliberations.
The deadly shooting happened at the Sonic in Keene during Mother's Day weekend. Davis confronted the boy's uncle for urinating in public at the restaurant. Prosecutors say that's when security cameras recorded the child, then only 12, using a 22-caliber style rifle to shoot Davis at least four times.
The shooting devastated Davis' family because they, like many families, never expected him to become a murder victim while at work. The 32-year-old made his family proud for getting his life back on track. Much of his work was to buy things for his 10-year-old son. Most days Davis would arrive to work an hour early because he enjoyed his job so much, according to his family.
"Matthew was unique. He was humble. He was a protector," his mother told WFAA.