Families of Ethan Crumbley victims want him to 'rot in his cell' as he gets life for Oxford school shooting

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

PONTIAC, MICHIGAN: Teen shooter Ethan Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday, December 8, for fatally gunning down four students and wounding six others and a teacher during a 2021 mass shooting at Michigan's Oxford High School.

The victims' families, profoundly affected by the senseless violence, delivered powerful statements expressing their grief, anger, and a collective demand for justice.

Families and survivors pour out grief over Ethan Crumbley's atrocious act

Crumbley, now 17, had pleaded guilty to a rare charge of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, and 19 other charges related to the deadly rampage. The lives of Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling were abruptly cut short, leaving an indelible mark on their families.

The sentencing marked an emotional, hours-long hearing from the families and survivors affected by Crumbley's callous act of violence.

Madisyn Baldwin

The emotionally charged sentencing hearing began with a statement from Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of Madisyn, a high school senior who tragically did not live to graduate in 2021.

In a composed manner, Beausoleil shared the heart-wrenching experience of witnessing her daughter's lifeless body in a cold room on a steel gurney, with blue fingernails and blood-smeared hair. 

"That is not my daughter," Beausoleil said. The grieving mother claimed her daughter is not "a statistic, a victim," instead she will be "remembered by her name, a name that is loved unconditionally."

Justin Shilling

Jill Soave, mother of Justin, addressed Crumbley directly, expressing that her son "would've been your friend, if you had only asked him."

"If you were that lonely, that miserable, that lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would've been your friend," she claimed.

Jill emphasized that Crumbley's actions caused terror and pain "but you did not destroy us."

Shilling pleaded for the maximum penalty, stating Crumbley lacked "human decency." "My son doesn't get a second chance, and neither should he," Shilling said. Notably, Justin, the deceased victim, was an organ donor.

Riley Franz

Riley Franz, as the third speaker, recounted the events of the November 30, 2021, shooting.

"I can no longer sleep without having flashbacks. I feel limited on what I can do at 19 years old," she expressed. "Although I survived, the original pieces of me didn't," she added.

 

Franz highlighted that the most frightening aspect was not the day of the shooting but the subsequent days.

"I feel like I cannot breathe because I feel like I’m paralyzed," she shared. She emphasized that she is much more than a victim, identifying herself as a daughter, sister, friend, classmate, cousin, granddaughter, and, most importantly, a person. 

Tate Myre

Buck Myre, father of Myre, shared the family's harrowing journey, "navigating our way through complete hell."

"As we navigate these treacherous waters, we try to honor Tate and, cause we know he's looking down on us. And I know he's not very proud of how his dad is handling this. But his dad's fighting, his mom's fighting, and his brothers are fighting," Buck said, as per ABC.

The father expressed the family's desire for Crumbley to spend his life "rotting in his cell," highlighting the irreplaceable loss they experienced.

"What you stole from us is not replaceable, but what we won't let you steal from us is a life of normalcy. And we'll find a way to get there through forgiveness and through putting good into this world."

Hana St Juliana

Reina St Juliana, sister of 14-year-old Hana, shared poignant words during the sentencing.

Reading her mother's statement, Reina said, “Hana was the best version of me. We were similar in the things we liked and didn’t like. She loved doing fun things and making things fun for those around her."

She added, “On the days I was not feeling good, Hana would make sure to put a drink next to my pillow, cook for the family, and not only do the dishes but also make the kitchen super clean, just how she knew I liked it. Almost all Christmas presents were Hana’s ideas because she knew what everyone in our family liked... On that day, not only was my loving daughter’s life taken, but all of my family’s future was taken, as well. Since that day, all of our lives have drastically changed."

 

Molly Darnell

The survivor of the Oxford High School shooting Molly Darnell, shot three times in her upper arm, conveyed her refusal to let the shooter define who she is. "You do not have the power to destroy who I am. In my heart, I still carry love, joy and hope," Darnell stated. 

The teacher added that the harrowing memory of Crumbley raising the gun will always stay with her.

"I still believe in the power of humanity. There is simply too much good in this world for your actions to destroy that," she added.

Kylie Ossege

Kylie Ossege, who spent months in the hospital after being shot, vividly detailed the graphic memories of the shooting, recounting the moment she lay on the ground beside the victim, Hana, unable to move her legs, and hearing the unsettling sound of blood squishing against her ear.

"I refuse to let the cowardly acts of a person affect the rest of my life. I will continue and live on for those that we lost. I will continue to walk around MSU’s campus strong and proud. I will continue to have compassion and spread love and joy and positivity everywhere I step foot," stated Ossege.

"I will proceed to stand up against gun violence, and nothing will ever stop me from living my life to the absolute fullest."