A college professor who had been dismissed from his job pleaded guilty and received a sentence on Monday for fatally shooting a student in a parked car.
According to prosecutors in Carroll County, Georgia, the defendant, Richard Sigman, 49, had no prior relationship with the victim, 18-year-old Anna Lynn Jones. They described the crime as happening "randomly and without explanation."
Sigman, who had lost his job at the University of West Georgia due to this incident, admitted to malice murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of firearm possession during the commission of a felony.
He was given a life sentence, with an additional 55 years, and will become eligible for parole after serving 30 years in prison. Prosecutors pointed out that Sigman, who was 47 at the time of the murder, wouldn't have a chance at freedom until he's 77.
On July 30, 2022, authorities say Sigman became highly intoxicated and had a confrontation with another person at Leopoldo's Pizza Napoletana, a bar and restaurant. When he threatened to use his firearm, security promptly removed him from the premises.
Jones' mother filed a lawsuit characterizing Sigman as "a belligerent drunk who enjoyed picking fights with others." Even the authorities are uncertain about Sigman's motive.
"For reasons that remain unclear, shortly after midnight, Sigman entered the lower level of the courthouse parking deck, brandishing his firearm. He approached the parked vehicle where three female victims, all college students, were sitting.
Sigman banged on the window while displaying his gun, causing the victims to be naturally terrified. They began to back out of the parking space in an attempt to escape Sigman. As they reversed, Sigman fired three shots, striking the front seat passenger in the head and killing her."
Jones had recently graduated from the local Mount Zion High School and was about to begin classes at UWG. The police arrived at the scene and discovered Sigman on the ground with his gun.
According to authorities, Sigman claimed to have fired in self-defense after someone shot at him, but security footage contradicted his account. "His actions were legally unjustified, senseless, and incomprehensible," stated the prosecutors. Neither Sigman nor the girls had any prior connection or had seen each other before.
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