GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A Grand Rapids man with a history of mental illness was sentenced Thursday to decades in prison for what the judge called a “senseless killing’’ spurred by the availability of guns.
“There is no excuse, there is no justification whatsoever for this,’’ Kent County Circuit Court Judge Mark Trusock told 25-year-old Derin Stephens-Roy. “This is just another example of the senseless killing as the result of so many young people these days carrying guns.’’
The victim, 54-year-old Barry Cooper, died in April, 2017 from a gunshot to the head. His body was found in an industrial area on the city’s Southwest Side.
“This is a situation where you were a member of a gang, you ended up getting into an argument with this gentleman and you shot and killed him,’’ Trusock said. “You admitted to the police that you did shoot the victim in the head.’’
Family members of Cooper attended Thursday’s sentencing. A niece described him a kind and caring man who remembered his nieces and nephews with gifts at Christmas.
She said Stephens-Roy has no regret or remorse for his actions. She called him “a danger to society.’’
Trusock sentenced Stephens-Roy to between 35 and 100 years in prison for second-degree murder. That term will begin once he serves a mandatory two years for using a gun during a felony.
“Sir, I hope every day you’re sitting in the prison, you think about all of the pain that you have caused this family,’’ Trusock said.
Cooper’s body was found April 19, 2017 off of Letellier Street west of Front Avenue SW not far from where he lived. Police were called about 12:20 p.m. on a report of a man on the ground with blood on his face.
An autopsy determined Cooper died from a single gunshot to the head. Investigators say he was shot with a .22 caliber handgun during an argument.
Stephens-Roy has a history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the judge said. Stephens-Roy did not address the court prior to sentencing.
Defense attorney Donald Pebley called the shooting a tragedy for all involved.
“My client’s family never would have guessed that he would be in this position; it is out of character for him,’’ Pebley told the court. “He was remorseful for this; he can’t understand why he did what he did, but that is water under the bridge.’’
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