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40 Years: McCune sentenced on second-degree murder charge

Donovan McCune, left, along with his attorney Courtney Craig, appeared before Judge Jason Wharton in Wood County Circuit Court on Wednesday, where McCune was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the May 2022 death of Terrence (T.J.) Mills Jr. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — Donovan McCune was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the May 2022 shooting death of Terrence (T.J.) Mills Jr.

McCune appeared in the Wood County Circuit Court of Judge Jason Wharton for sentencing after entering a plea agreement in early August.

Defense attorney Courtney Craig said the plea agreement is binding and he had nothing else to add “as the facts speak for themselves.”

McCune would cede his time to the court and to the family of the victim, he added.

McCune said he did not wish to say anything when asked by Wharton.

“I waive that,” he replied.

On May 17, 2022, Mills was going to meet Dezaray Lynn Roberts of Vienna to sell her some marijuana. Roberts, along with Justin Keel and McCune, planned to rob him of the marijuana in an alleyway near Covert Street.

At the meeting, Keel and Donavan rushed at Mills with shots fired where one shot hit Mills. Roberts, Keel and McCune fled the scene in her 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Mills fled the scene but collapsed in a flowerbed of a nearby house. He succumbed to his injuries after being transported to the hospital.

Roberts entered a plea of guilty in December 2022 to first-degree robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison and agreed to testify in related hearings. Keel went to trial in February and was found guilty of felony murder, robbery in the first-degree, presentation of a firearm during the commission of a felony and conspiracy to commit a felony. Keel was sentenced to life in prison, pursuant to the jury’s recommendation of mercy, which could make him eligible for parole in 15 years.

Donna Mills, T.J.’s mother, spoke to the court and directly to McCune who looked at her, but otherwise did not react.

“You don’t know how hard this is for me,” she said as she was overcome with emotion and almost crying as she spoke. “You took something from me that I will never get back.”

Mrs. Mills said the anger in her heart was “so tremendous” and that she was not that type of person.

“T.J.’s life did not have to be taken that day,” she said. “He was only 26 years old and still had a full life ahead of him, but you decided he did not need that life.

“You could have made so many other choices that day. The hurt and pain I feel everyday is so unbearable that sometimes I am numb.”

She talked about how she will never be able to hug him again or hear him laugh or to hear him say he loves her.

“They say to forgive and forget, but I will never forgive you and I will never forget May 17, 2022,” Mrs. Mills said. “It has changed my whole family’s life forever.

“I will never be the same. You took a piece of my heart that will never be filled again.”

She told McCune that “he was no better” than Roberts and Keel and how none of them deserve to walk the streets again and more, but she was a believer in karma.

“Don’t think this will be the last time you will see this face, because I promise you I will be at every parole hearing, fighting to keep you locked up, forever, as long as it takes, because you should not hurt any family ever again.”

Mrs. Mills pointed out how horrible it was to take another person’s life over something “stupid.”

She commented on the fact no one came to the hearing to support McCune while T.J.’s family was there.

“Maybe that is why you chose what you did and the way you live,” Mrs. Mills said.

She said that even when T.J. was in trouble, she was at the court for hearings and more. After her son’s death, she came to every hearing related to this case.

“Maybe you should look up to God and ask for forgiveness and see if someone will love you, like I loved T.J.,” Mrs. Mills said. “May God have mercy on your soul.”

McCune was already convicted of a charge of second-degree robbery and was already serving a sentence of 5-18 years, officials have said.

Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure asked the court not to give McCune any credit that he was awarded for the other case to be applied to this case.

“The defendant is receiving that credit on his other sentence of robbery in the second degree, another very serious offense so I don’t think it would be appropriate to give the defendant for both offenses as they are completely separate and distinct crimes not related to each other,” he said.

Wharton sentenced McCune to 40 years in prison with zero days credit, per the state’s request.

The sentence will run consecutively to the other charge, the judge ruled.

McCune was also assessed and fined $267 in various court costs and fees.

No motions for probation or alternative sentence were filed.

“The court would find that to grant any form of probation or any form of alternative sentence would unduly depreciate the seriousness of the offense the defendant pleaded guilty to and judged guilty of,” Wharton said.

McCune was remanded to the custody of the West Virginia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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