A Long Island man will serve 18 years to life in prison after admitting he strangled a Long Island woman he met near a Nassau County park.
Maxwell Sherman of Long Beach pleaded guilty Friday to a top charge of second-degree murder in the August 2013 death of 18-year-old Lauren Daverin-Gresham.
The young woman's body was found on a Rockville Centre footbridge, a popular gathering place for teenagers. Sherman met Daverin-Gresham the night she died.
The plea came as part of an agreement with prosecutors, who said the victim's family signed off on the resolution of the case.
In court Friday, a judge asked Sherman, "Did you cause the death of Lauren Daverin?" He replied "yes."
"This was a brutal, violent murder, a gruesome murder. We're satisfied justice was served today," Acting Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas told reporters outside court.
The 19-year-old Sherman had also faced a first-degree sexual abuse charge. But defense attorney William Petrillo said that charge would be dropped as part of the plea agreement.
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Petrillo said his client wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
"His state of mind from the beginning has been one of truly wanting to spare his family and the victim's family any more pain," said Petrillo.
Kathleen Daverin said, crying, "I am glad justice was finally served for my little girl."
"She was a very beautiful young lady who didn't deserve to die the way she died," she said.
