"When she said my name I could hear the panic in her voice she said Kels it's your dad…an inmate tried escaping today your dad was shot and he didn't make it."
Heartbreaking statements during an emotional day in court. Wesley Correa-Carmenaty pleaded guilty to murdering Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Burbridge. The deputy's children bravely faced the killer in court, giving him a piece of their mind, including anger and sorrow.
"My dad was the best person on this earth to me I can't believe the guy that killed him gets to live the rest of his life without physical harm he deserves no less than death but unfortunately that's not an option."
"I can't even refer to him by his name because to me he doesn't have one. To me he's a monster, a sociopath with no emotion I'd go as far to say he's the devil."
"This past year while I was getting an education you took another person's life. While I'm going to heaven, you have a special place in hell."
As emotions ran high, so did the intensity of the evidence presented. The graphic video from May 1st was, at times, very painful to watch today.
Investigators held nothing back, presenting the entire timeline of events: From Carmenaty escaping the transport van, shooting Deputy Burbridge.. and dashcam video of the wild police chase that ended with his capture in Omaha.
Graphic video shows Wesley Correa-Carmenaty shooting Deputies Mark Burbridge and Pat Morgan, killing Burbridge. The video shows Corerra-Carmenaty driving the stolen prisoner transport van through the sallyport door, then tries to car jack someone outside, shooting them in the neck. "OMG my boyfriend has been shot". And a heart racing police chase reaching 80 mph through the streets of downtown Omaha, and finally crashing to a stop. "Put up your hands"
Correa-Carmenaty pleaded guilty to first degree murder and other charges and received life in prison plus 50 years.
"Today marks the end of this case and I hope for this community it is the beginning of some closure."
An emotional Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber spoke publicly after Carmenaty's plea. "One of the officers who job is to protect me while I am doing my job was killed, and the coward who attacked him has now been sentenced, and he will not breathe another breath of free air of his life."
Wilber says in order for everyone to heal, they wanted to explain what happened, and why, and to make sure if never happens again. "Clearly the lesson is you can never, ever let your guard down with these folks."
Since Deputy Burbridge's murder May 1st, Sheriff Jeff Danker says there are now new procedures for officers handling firearms at the jail. "One will step back away, still armed the other one will secure his weapon and open the doors and get the people out and take them inside"
Danker says it is now time for everyone to start healing. "You keep moving on and looking toward the future, and that it what Mark would want."
Corerra-Carmenaty is already serving a 45 year sentence for his role in a previous murder. His sentence for Deputy Burbridge's murder will not begin until the previous sentence is up.
The convicted killer, Correa-Carmenaty also spoke in court today through a translator. This is what the 24-year-old said about the slain deputy.
"In reality I liked him. He was one of the people that would ask you how is your case going when are you going home, and when you say you feel bad about the loss of that man..I feel very bad about having killed him. "
County Attorney Matt Wilber told reporters he hopes Correa-Carmenaty stays in prison and we never see his name in the news again.
