'This is not justice:' Family of kidnapped, murdered 19-year-old outraged over plea deal
Court accepts plea deal for suspect in murder case
One of the three suspects accused in the kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Tyrone Sero entered a plea deal on Friday, and the court accepted it. He could be sentenced to seven years in prison, with time served for two years.
PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - Family of 19-year-old Tyrone Sero, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2021, are outraged after the Kitsap County prosecutor notified them of a plea deal with two of the suspects that would only put them behind bars for seven years.
Sero, of Port Orchard, was murdered when he got into an SUV for a marijuana deal. According to court documents, he was shot and killed almost instantly when he got in the car. Then, three suspects drove to an undeveloped property in Mason County, dumped his body and then burned it.
One suspect, 19-year-old Eli Gregory, is expected to be sentenced on Friday.
Sero's family told FOX 13 that prosecutors said they cut a plea deal with him that would put him in prison for seven years-- and Gregory has already been behind bars for two.
"We have nothing but pain and heartache. They have none of that. They have no idea what it's like to go through this. All they are doing is getting a deal. They get a deal and we don't get our nephew back," said Sero's aunt, Lorie Waltrip. "They get to go on with their life. Their moms and dads get to have them. They get to do everything and we get nothing."
A second suspect, Karlen Talent, is expected to be in court on Monday, Sero's family is also concerned that Talent will get a lenient plea deal in the murder.
Family of kidnapped, murdered 19-year-old outraged over expected plea deal
Family of 19-year-old Tyrone Sero, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2021, are outraged over an expected plea deal that was cut with one of the suspects that would only put him behind bars for seven years.
The third suspect, Kannon Stephens, will start his trial for the case in September.
Sero's family hoped the judge would not accept the plea deal, but on Friday, the plea was accepted by the court. Gregory was not sentenced.
In a Facebook post, the group Justice For Tyrone wrote of Gregory's plea deal: "The humiliating plea deal of 7 years for this monster ELI GREGORY was accepted today in court Leaving it up to the sentencing judge to sentence outside of the standard range. New court date for ELI sentence is set for October 23rd , so that he is available to testify against his co-defendants. A lot of anger today but not giving up hope. Praying that on this next court date, the judge can hear our cries and choose an appropriate sentence outside of the standard range."
"This is not justice. When I see my nephew fighting for his life on a video and that's all three of them in that car attacking him and they drive off with him," Waltrip said before the plea was accepted. "Where's the justice in the system? I'm saying. Somebody went wrong."