The man convicted last year of fatally shooting two women found in an SUV at a Dayton gas station has learned how long he will spend behind bars.
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Deante Holden, 34, was sentenced Wednesday to 45 years to life in prison.
As previously reported, Holden was found guilty in July on multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence in connection with the killings of 38-year-old Felicia Brown and 44-year-old Michaela Daniels.
Brown and Daniels were found dead in an SUV at the Shell gas station on W. Third Street in February 2023.
Mike Daniels, Michaela's father, addressed the court with a victim impact statement at the sentencing. He had spoken his last words to his daughter before she went out with her friend.
“Have fun, be careful and I love you,” he said.
Little did Daniels know that these would be the last words he would ever say to his daughter.
Michaela's daughter, Anjanae Milliner, also spoke at the sentencing. She said her mother's death left a huge hole in her heart and her life.
“I will never get the chance to hug her, smell her, tell her I love her and laugh with her,” she said.
Large numbers of family members of both victims filled the courtroom to support each other. A smaller group of people came to support Holden, who briefly apologized to the families but told the judge he was forced to do what he did.
“I was put in a position where I had to,” Holden said.
Judge Mary Wiseman immediately attacked Holden's insistence that his actions were in self-defense, something the jury rejected. As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00Wiseman called his claims “nonsense, ridiculous” and an insult to the tragedy.
“They were shot from behind,” Wiseman said. “It's hard to imagine a more cowardly act.”
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