Nova Gallman, 2, was shot to death. 1 of her Lexington killers got 18-year sentence.
One of two men who pleaded guilty in the shooting death of 2-year-old Nova Gallman was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison.
Marquis Thurman, 23, pleaded guilty in January to amended charges of manslaughter and evidence tampering. On Thursday, Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Julie M. Goodman sentenced him to a total of 18 years. He could have received the recommended 18 years for manslaughter and five years for evidence tampering, for 23 years total.
On Dec. 5, 2016, Nova had been with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend in the living room of their Kenton Street home when Thurman and 23-year-old Adrian Dunn showed up and demanded money, police said at the time. Gunfire erupted. Nova was shot once in the head and the mother’s boyfriend was shot multiple times. WKYT previously reported that Dunn and Thurman went to the house to buy marijuana.
During Thursday’s hearing, a prosecutor mentioned that Nova’s mother and mother’s boyfriend are now in custody and facing federal drug charges.
Goodman said she chose to run Thurman’s manslaughter and evidence tampering sentences concurrently after taking into account the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Thurman’s age (he was 20 when Nova died) and his lack of previous criminal history.
“I think you have destroyed many lives,” Goodman told Thurman before he was sentenced. She said that in addition to Nova and her family, his actions harmed his own two young children who will grow up without a father while he’s incarcerated.
Thurman apologized to the family Thursday, and his attorney told the judge Thurman had been remorseful since immediately after the shooting.
The judge said Thursday that she was appalled by the killing and by the fact that Nova was in a situation where drug activity was occurring.
Before the charges were reduced, Thurman and Dunn were charged with murder, first-degree assault, wanton endangerment and first-degree robbery.
Dunn also pleaded guilty to amended charges of manslaughter and evidence tampering in January. He is set to be sentenced in April.
Thurman was also told Thursday that he will be required to pay restitution for Nova’s funeral expenses, about $1,800.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 3:01 PM.
