A Miami-Dade judge revisited a brutal murder case dating back a decade. The change of heart could be a game-changer for the killer's future.
"You were 17-years-old when you mowed down Ms. Armstrong and Mr. Johnson in a hail of bullets sprayed from an AK-47 assault rifle," the judge said during Wednesday's hearing.
Now 27, Benito Santiago, has been in prison for the last 10 years. A jury convicted him of killing Grace Armstrong and Adrian Johnson in Liberty City in front of their young daughter.
"She had to witness her parents being executed and has to live with that the rest of her life," the prosecutor said.
A judge had sentenced Santiago to 60 years behind bars with no possibility of release for his crimes. But three years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled allowing for a judicial review of all juvenile cases at the 25 year mark of the defendant's sentence.
Prosecutors pointed out that psychiatrists diagnosed Santiago with an anti-social personality disorder. Prosecutors said he also has not showed any remorse for the murders.
"I think the defender has shown absolutely no effort to conform to the rules or conform to the requirements while he's been in prison," the prosecutor said.
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The judge kept the original sentence of 60 years behind bars, but with one difference. Santiago's case can now be reviewed before his sentence ends.
The victim's family was not in court but Santiago's family was. They left quickly after the court proceeding.
15 years from Feb. 10, 2016, his case will go in front of a review board to see if Santiago could be eligible to come back into society.
