Pasco man who spent months planning to kill random victim gets life sentence
Justyn Pennell pleaded no contest to a premeditated homicide charge. Authorities say he intentionally hit a 75-year-old man with his car, killing him.
A 24-year-old Pasco County man who told authorities he wanted to know what it was like to kill someone has been sentenced to life in prison for intentionally running over a 75-year-old man he didnt know killing him.
Justyn Pennell pleaded no contest Monday to a charge of first-degree premeditated homicide in the Jan. 9, 2020, death of Michael Pratt, a Vietnam veteran and grandfather. A no-contest plea means a defendant is not admitting guilt but will not put on a defense.
At his sentencing hearing Wednesday, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Mary Handsel adjudicated Pennell guilty. In a video from Court TV, Pennell is seen standing with his head down while Handsel handed down the life sentence.
This is a tragedy that is felt by both families today, Handsel said. What you did was a lifetime sentence to yourself, your mother, your sister and to the Pratt family.
During a Jan. 10, 2020, news conference, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said Pennell was running errands in his Chrysler PT Cruiser, when he saw Pratt walking on Aripeka Road, near Old Dixie Highway, around 2:45 p.m. According to detectives, Pennell told them he decided that was his chance to kill a random person something hed been wanting to do for months.
Pennell drove past Pratt, did a U-turn and headed straight at him. Pratt tried to get out of his path, but Pennells vehicle struck the 75-year-old and he died at the scene, Nocco said.
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