'My own daughter who I gave birth to and love is responsible for my own mother's death,' Rebecca Johnson's mother writes.
The man who invaded a Wilson Borough grandmother's home that led to her death and the woman who planned the crime were sentenced this morning to life in prison with no chance for parole.
Northampton County Judge Paula Roscioli sentenced Rebecca Johnson and her ex-boyfriend Rogel "Roger" Suero for the robbery that led to the death of Johnson's 76-year-old grandmother, Carrie Smith. Although some of Johnson's charges were merged, she also received up to about 18 additional years in prison for related offenses.
Suero, a native of Venezuela living in Allentown, was found guilty in October on
charges of murder in the second degree, robbery, aggravated
assault, burglary, reckless endangerment and six other offenses. Suero
denied any involvement in the case and said he never met Carrie Smith.
Authorities said Johnson plotted to steal $35,000 and jewelry from her grandmother in January 2012 in order to finance a massive marijuana purchase in Colorado. Suero, her then boyfriend, and an unknown accomplice used a key Johnson stole to enter the house, roused the sleeping Smith and forced her to open the safe, according to Mulqueen.
Smith, a great-grandmother, suffered a mild heart attack because of the robbery, authorities said.Before Roscioli imposed the sentences, Assistant District Attorney Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen read statements on behalf of Smith's family members.
"I lost a part of my heart when I lost my grandmother," Mulqueen read on behalf of Brown. "I feel like a part of me died with her."
Michelle Phoenix, Carrie Smith's daughter and Johnson's mother, also had Mulqueen read her statement. Phoenix said that she has had to become a mother to Johnson's son.
"My own daughter who I gave birth to and love is responsible for my own mother's death," Phoenix wrote.
Brown and Phoenix both questioned Johnson's ability to show no remorse after hearing Carrie Smith's 911 tapes played in court during the course of the trial. Both women said those would be remembered as Smith's last words.
Johnson, clad in a red jumpsuit, kept her head down during hearing. Her eyes wandered, but her head never turned. She only uttered "yes, ma'am" when Roscioli asked if she understood her sentence and rights to an appeal.
Roscioli called Johnson the "mastermind" in the robbery in which she "preyed" on her own grandmother.
"It is disgraceful," she said. "I have never seen someone so cold ... you did not shed one tear."
The prosecution's defense relied on the testimony of David Bechtold, Johnson's 19-year-old cousin and admitted getaway driver in the robbery. Suero and the other accomplice got into the house using a key Johnson stole from her brother, who lived with Smith, Bechtold previously testified.
Johnson paid Bechtold $1,000 to assist in the robbery, and he blew the money on marijuana, cigarettes and Monster energy drinks, he testified.Bechtold was not charged with homicide but faces charges of robbery,
burglary, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and
others. His trial date has been delayed because of legal challenges
regarding immunity for statements he provided to police and prosecutors.