Teen sentenced to life in prison for killing six-year-old girl
Reuters
September 5, 2014, 10:18 am
A male teenager was sentenced to life in prison this week for killing a six-year-old girl.
The Texas teen wrapped the young girl's body in a tarp and left it on the side of a road, prosecutors said.
Tyler Lane Holder, now 18 but 17 at the time of the crime in the Fort Worth area a year ago, reached a deal with prosecutors for the sentence, the Tarrant County District Attorney's office said.
Holder pleaded guilty to the murder of Alanna Gallagher, who was found bound in duct tape and with a plastic bag over her head. Prosecutors said they had DNA evidence linking him to the crime.
He also pleaded guilty to arson for setting fire to the home of the victim's family and with attempted capital murder for shooting at a police officer trying to arrest him.
Alanna Gallagher. Picture: Saginaw Police
Prosecutors said he could not be charged with capital murder, which brings the possibility of the death penalty, because he was under 18 when the crime was committed.
He must serve at least 50 years in prison before he can be eligible for parole.
