Ohio – An Ohio man was sentenced to nearly five decades in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murder of his former partner, 18-year-old NataIie, during a graduation trip to South Carolina two years ago.
The tragic incident occurred in June 2023, when the defendant, 20-year-old BIake, and his former girIfriend, along with friends, traveled to South Carolina to celebrate their recent high school graduation. Approximately two weeks prior to the trip, the victim ended her relationship with BIake following an incident. Despite the breakup, both attended the trip.
After attending an event in South Carolina, the then-18-year-old man expressed suicidal thoughts, stating he couldn’t live without his former girIfriend. Later that evening, the victim’s friends discovered her unresponsive in their hotel room and immediately called 911. Emergency responders arrived but were unable to revive her. Linkous confessed to his father via text message, admitting he had killed his best friend.
Chief Deputy Solicitor Scot described defendant as controlling, insecure, and jealous, noting that although they had agreed to see other people, he became angry when the victim texted another boy. The victim’s father addressed the court during sentencing, expressing dissatisfaction with the 45-year sentence, urging for a stronger judicial response.
Judge Dedra highlighted the extreme brutality of the crime, stating, “Manual strangulation requires an extraordinary amount of force.” While acknowledging mitigating factors, such as the defendant being on the autism spectrum—which can impact the regulation of anger—the judge also considered the influence of alcohol, the defendant’s youth, and his prior experiences. However, she determined that a minimum sentence of three decades would not be fitting for this case.
The defendant acknowledged his failure to protect the victim, stating she was the love of his life. This case underscores the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the importance of recognizing warning signs in relationships.