Cumberland County teen pleads guilty to killing girlfriend
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Two years of anguish and hurt exploded in Je'Michael Malloy's face Friday morning after the 19-year-old apologized for killing his ex-girlfriend, Danielle Locklear.
The Cumberland County teenager charged with murdering his girlfriend pleaded guilty after originally rejecting a plea bargain last month.
In court Friday, Malloy accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder in the 2014 death of Locklear, 15. He was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison.
Locklear's family packed the courtroom Friday to hear Malloy accept the deal.
"Want to talk about mercy, she didn't have no mercy that night," Rowna Fowler, Locklear's mother said to Malloy. "You ripped out my soul."
Malloy's mother also apologized to Locklear's family during the hearing.
"I cannot apologize to you enough in this lifetime, for what my son has done, taking your baby," Cynthia Malloy said.
In April, after Malloy originally turned down a deal of 25 years to life with the possibility of parole, District Attorney Billy West told ABC11 that his offer would remain on the table if Malloy changed his mind.
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However, he said one way or the other the case was moving forward with a trial set for November.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Malloy could have faced up to life in prison without parole.
Police said Malloy confessed to choking Locklear during an argument in March 2014.
Locklear's disappearance set off a huge search that Malloy took part in. Her body was later found in the South River near the Cumberland-Sampson county line.
One of Malloy's friends, Dominic Lock helped dispose of the body. He's already pleaded guilty to being an accessory.
