One of three teenagers charged with starting a Denver house fire that killed five people — apparently out of revenge for a stolen cellphone that was mistakenly traced to the home — was sentenced Friday to 40 years in prison.

Gavin Seymour, 19, pleaded guilty in January to one count of second-degree murder for his role in the Aug. 5, 2020, fire that killed five members of a Senegalese family. Denver District Court Judge Karen Brody sentenced him to the maximum possible term he faced, The Denver Post reported.

“This is a tragedy that is, I’m sure for everyone involved, incomprehensible,” Brody said. “There was a loss of the most innocent of lives.”

Seymour and two other teenagers — Kevin Bui and Dillon Siebert — were charged with setting the fire in the middle of the night, killing family members Djibril Diol, 29; Adja Diol, 23; Khadija Diol, 1; Hassan Diol, 25; and 6-month-old Hawa Baye. Three other people escaped by jumping from the second floor of the home.

  • @ickplant
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    427 months ago

    Was 14 when he did it. Threw his whole life away and took 5 innocent lives with it. So sad.

    • @tym
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      -37 months ago

      not his whole life. Sentence should be 80 years just to make sure it’s his whole life though.

      • lad
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        156 months ago

        His future after the prison time ends is not going to be too bright, I think

          • lad
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            126 months ago

            I’m not sure if it is. That’s most likely going be a retribution rather than correction, so the society is unlikely to become better as a result. But that’s a complicated matter, truly

              • @Cosmonauticus
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                66 months ago

                Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, and the American justice system doesn’t fucking try

                • @[email protected]
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                  06 months ago

                  I agree that the US prison system doesn’t rehabilitate, when it should. However, in the case where a person commits a multiple homicide and arson over the possibility their phone might be at a location, they should not see the light of day again.