Man Gets 18 Years To Life In Murder Of Newlywed At Rockville Centre Park
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Long Beach man who admitted strangling a teenager he met near a Long Island park was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison Thursday.
Maxwell Sherman, 20, pleaded guilty in April to murder and sexual abuse charges after the August 2013 death of 18-year-old newlywed Lauren Daverin-Gresham.
Web Extra: L.I. Murder Suspect Spoke To CBS2 Day Before Arrest
Sherman was sentenced Thursday in Nassau County court. And vowing to return to every parole hearing, Daverin-Gresham's relatives called the sentence a slap on the wrist, CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported.
Police and prosecutors said Sherman killed Daverin-Gresham after meeting her near a Rockville Centre park at Merrick Road and Sunrise Highway on Aug. 22.
Man Gets 18 Years To Life In Murder Of Newlywed At Rockville Centre Park
Daverin-Gresham went to meet friends on a footbridge near the park that is a popular gathering place for teenagers. Her partially clothed body was later found on the footbridge.
"Because of the cold-blooded brutality of this crime, it is just that Maxwell Sherman pay a heavy price for tragically and inexplicably cutting Lauren Daverin's life short," Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas said. "It is my fervent hope that today's sentence gives Lauren's loved ones a small amount of closure and peace."
Attorney William Petrillo has said Sherman pleaded guilty to spare both his family and the victim's family from a long drawn-out trial.
The stoic Sherman apologized in court.
"I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart," he said, adding that he was "not in (his) right mind" and "out of character" when beating and strangling Daverin-Gresham.
Man Gets 18 Years To Life In Murder Of Newlywed At Rockville Centre Park
"We finally, after two long years, can just breathe," said the victim's aunt, Bernadette McLaughlin.
"He belongs in jail and he belongs there for the rest of his life," said the victim's mother, Kathleen Daverin. "I will be at every parole hearing as long as I'm still alive. I will be at every parole hearing to make sure he never gets out."
Sherman spoke to WCBS 880 and CBS2 the day before he was arrested. He had scratches on his face when he spoke to CBS2's Gusoff, but he posed as a bystander and feigned surprise when Gusoff asked about the discovery of Daverin-Gresham's lifeless, partially-clothed body.
He told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall he had just met Daverin-Gresham the night before she was murdered.
"I met her for like five minutes," he told Gusoff. He claimed that at the time of the incident, he and others were "chilling by the soccer posts or whatever. I just saw my friend Steve, and got a cigarette from him."
His charade, said Daverin-Gesham's family, shows a lack of remorse and humanity.
"When he first did this, and then he went back and he did the interview with you on that night -- no emotions whatsoever," Kathleen Daverin said. "When he got arrested, stone cold murderer -- no emotions."
Sherman was staying at his family's Long Beach summer home. Daverin-Gresham had just gotten married to a Louisiana-based U.S. Air Force husband and was visiting her mother.
Daverin-Gresham and Sherman had never met before, and Sherman never offered a public explanation.
"Alcohol was largely involved in this case. He was not in his proper frame of mind that night," said defense attorney William Petrillo.
Sherman's only prior scrape with the law had been three years before the murder. The then-15-year-old paid a $200 fine for possession of tobacco by a minor, CBS Chicago reported.
Sherman's plea deal that dropped sex assault charges. Daverin-Gresham's family agreed to deal reluctantly, and addressed Sherman directly in court.
"Think about what you did every day," said Luke McLaughlin, the victim's uncle. "And I'll see you in 18 years. Make no mistake about that, I will see you in 18 years, and I'll make sure you're going to stay in there."
"What he did to my daughter was heinous; disgusting," Kathleen Daverin said.
Had Sherman gone to trial, he would have faced a minimum sentence of 32 years. Now, he will be parole eligible in just 16 years.
Sherman's wealthy parents from the Chicago suburb of Barrington were not in court. His attorney said they support and love him, but wanted to avoid the media.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
