COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Families expressed the depth of their heartbreak in court Thursday as they faced the man now convicted of killing two Cobb County sheriff's deputies.
The families delivered powerful statements in front of Christopher Golden, the man who killed their loved ones three months ago. The deputies, Jonathan Randall Koleski and Marshall Samual Ervin, Jr. were killed in an ambush-style attack as they tried to serve an arrest warrant on Sept. 8. The warrant was not for Golden.
Attorneys for the 30-year-old took a plea deal, sentencing him to life without parole to avoid a death penalty case. Prosecutors accepted the plea and the terms with the families' blessing.
In a court hearing to finalize the case, families expressed to Golden what he took from their lives.
"He was humble, he was grateful, he was generous, and he was proud to serve his community," said Melissa Marchetti, the sister of Koleski.
Golden sat with his head down.
"I'm traumatized from seeing my brother in a casket. Unrecognizable. I'll never get to hug him. I'll never get another birthday call or text either," said Megan Barrios, the sister of Ervin.
As the holidays pass, these families have started to realize that things won't be the same without the two deputies.
"This past Thanksgiving was not an easy one. I feel like I could hear him pointing out all his favorite dishes that he loved, just the way his momma would make them - but he wasn't there," Marchetti said.
Ervin's wife did not appear in court Thursday but had a representative read her statement on her behalf. It described a life her children would have to live without their father.
"My children were introduced to an evil in this world that we had been trying to shelter them from since they were born. My children's innocence was stolen the night they lost their dad," Jodi Ervin said.
The district attorney said Golden faces two consecutive life sentences without parole plus 55 years is the maximum allowed under the law - just short of the death penalty. Court records show he was formally sentenced to these terms Thursday and waived his right to any post-conviction relief - including clemency.
Photos | 2 Cobb County deputies killed
More on the case
Cobb County Sheriff's Deputy Marshall Samual Ervin Jr., 38, and Deputy Jonathan Koleski, 42, were killed during an ambush while serving a warrant at a home in Marietta on Sept. 8.
An hours-long standoff ensued, and eventually, two suspects, Christopher Golden and Christopher Cook were taken into custody.
The warrant was for Cook, who was accused of failing to appear in court on a theft charge. Investigators said Golden was hiding Cook as the deputies tried to arrest him.
Funeral services and memorials were held for both deputies following their deaths.
Investigators said Golden was hiding Cook as the deputies tried to arrest him. The two were arrested after an hours-long standoff on Sept. 8.
"This community has been robbed of one of its incredible deputies. I have faith in the justice system that this will be served so that the first steps can be taken in healing the broken heart of this community and of John's family, " said Marchetti.
The district attorney said Golden faces two consecutive life sentences without parole plus 55 years is the maximum allowed under the law - just short of the death penalty.
"The defendant didn't break a community. Rather, he made it stronger," Barrios said.