SALT LAKE CITY — More than two years after a fatal shooting outside a graduation party in South Jordan, the suspect who was found guilty of pulling the trigger has been sentenced.
In front of a packed courthouse Thursday, Anthony Dominic Rendon was sentenced to 15 years to life for the murder and received 3-5 year sentences for felony discharge counts that will run concurrently.
In all, Rendon will serve at least 18 years in prison before he can go to the Board of Pardons and Parole, who would decide his future from there.
The sentencing comes more than two years after Kelly Glaubensklee was shot in the chest during a fight that broke out at a graduation party.
"He was my hero, basically, he was my hero," said James Glaubensklee, Kelly's father.
James got emotional when describing his son, who was a star football player at Jordan High School.
“Kelly was just everyone's person, everyone said Kelly was there, he was a friend to everyone,” said Kathryn Glaubensklee, Kelly’s mother.
FOX 13 News previously reported Rendon fired 13 rounds toward Glaubensklee and others as they were leaving the scene.
At the time of his death, family remembered Glaubensklee as a person who had a tender heart and big smile.
"Kelly was one of a kind," a fundraiser read shortly after the time of the shooting. "He walked this Earth with his head held high and a smile that could fix just about anything. He was big and tough but as soon as he grinned you could see that he had the sweetest heart. If you were lucky enough to be his friend you know that he’d do anything and support you through it all in hopes to make you happy and feel validated. If he saw someone needed help, he was there- especially in school with the kids that didn’t stand up for themselves."
During the sentencing family and friends of Glaubensklee spoke before Judge Kara Pettit.
Rendon also was given a chance to speak before his sentence was handed down.
"I want to take this time right now to ask the Glaubensklee family for forgiveness and find it in their hearts to see this was an honest mistake,” said Renton.
When Rendon was convicted, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said he hoped the verdict would bring peace to family and friends left in the wake of the incident.
"Mr. Rendon knowingly created a grave risk for every individual near the car when he decided to fire several shots in a matter of seconds," Gill said after the conviction. "The jury made the right decision when they chose to hold Mr. Rendon accountable for his extraordinary disregard for community safety."
After the sentencing on Thursday, Kelly’s family told FOX 13 News they didn’t feel the penalty was harsh enough.
“If she would have run those consecutive, like consecutively, there would have been a lot more time and tacked on to his punishment,” James said. “Those are attempted murder charges as far as I'm concerned."
Kelly’s mom calling the decision unnerving.
“So 18 years, it just will never be enough, but will any time be enough, no,” Kathryn said.
The family told FOX 13 News on Thursday they will continue to march for gun violence prevention in hopes of making sure this doesn't happen to another family.
