A man found guilty of murdering two landscapers as they worked in Alexandria, Virginia, will spend 58 years in prison.
Prosecutors said 29-year-old Francis Rose went on a crime spree at Assembly Apartments in July 2022, breaking into two homes, then killing 48-year-old Adrian Rivera Guzman and 24-year-old Juan Carlos Amaya Hernandez before hiding out in a stranger’s apartment. Amaya Hernandez was Rivera Guzman's stepson.
A jury convicted Rose in the killings in May. On Friday, Rose a judge sentenced Rose to 58 years in prison.
The prosecution asked the judge to impose a life sentence on Rose, who is now 29.
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Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Porter said in a statement he was disappointed in the judge's decision not to sentence him to life.
“In my opinion, the defendant’s horrific actions in the case surely merited a life sentence," Porter said in a statement.
Prosecutors said Friday it's still unclear why Rose suddenly fired on the men, who he didn't know.
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During the trial, Rose's defense team admitted their client killed the men but claimed the workers attacked Rose before he shot them. The defense did not call Rose to the stand.
Witnesses testified they heard a gunshot, but by the time they could see what was happening, one victim had already been shot and the second was struggling to get a gun away from the shooter before also being shot.
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