As a resident of Waco, this case hits close to home. On January 22, 2020, our community lost Tyler McKinney, a young man of just 19 years old. He was found dead in his vehicle on Cedar Mountain Drive. The culprit? Delviyonte Dequae Sampson who has recently been sentenced to only 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to this murder and five other charges.

Sampson, along with Willow Reign Smith, was charged in the shooting death of 19-year-old Tyler McKinney, Jr., of Waco, who was found in his car near Gregory Lane on Cedar Mountain Drive on January 22, 2020, after area residents called police to report hearing gunshots.

Smith was previously sentenced to 35 years in prison after entering a guilty plea to a charge of murder in August 2020. Both were also originally charged with aggravated robbery in the case.

Police said they believe McKinney was lured to the area by Smith, and that he was shot during the robbery the two suspects planned. The pair was arrested in Wichita Falls in February 2020, where police say they left in a stolen car following the attack.

Sampson also pleaded guilty to four first-degree felony charges of aggravated robbery from the days after the shooting, and a second-degree felony charge of burglary of a home from May 2018.

In accordance with a plea deal, Judge Thomas West of Waco's 19th State District Court sentenced Sampson to 42 years for each of the five first-degree felonies and 20 years for the burglary. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 42 years.
 
Because of a deadly weapon finding on the murder charge Sampson will have to receive credit for serving half his sentence before he will be eligible to seek parole. He will receive credit for the more than four years he has spent in jail since his arrest.

This sentence is not enough. It does not reflect the gravity of the crimes committed nor does it provide sufficient assurance that he will not harm others in the future. We must remember that recidivism rates among violent offenders are high; according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 71% of violent offenders are re-arrested within five years after release.

We cannot afford to take such risks with our community's safety. Therefore, we demand that Delviyonte Dequae Sampson be re-sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole - a punishment more fitting for his heinous actions.

Please join us in seeking justice for Tyler and safety for our community by signing this petition today!