MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — A man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a fatal shooting at a community center in Maryland Heights.
On Friday, Michael Honkomp was sentenced to life plus 15 years in prison. He is charged with second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, first-degree assault and resisting arrest.
Honkomp, 32, pleaded guilty to the six felonies on Dec. 15 in connection to a shooting at the Maryland Heights Community Center that left Maria Lucas dead.
Investigators said at the time of the shooting Honkomp was a part-time employee working as a janitor at the center. Lucas was the on-duty supervisor at the community center at the time of the shooting.
“He was being sent home from work and reacted with ‘anger,’” Chief Carson said. He went up to Lucas and had a conversation with her and then pulled out a handgun.
READ: Woman shot, killed at community center by co-worker who was ‘angry’ about being sent home from work
Family members had the opportunity to speak during Friday's sentencing hearing and address allegations that came up as the investigation continued.
The defense claimed that Honkomp was suffering from anxiety, but Lucas' family didn't believe it.
Lucas' sister-in-law's response was, “Maria would have been one of your best allies,” had he spoken to her about his struggles rather than killing her, according to a St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office news release Friday.
Honkomp also addressed the court.
“I feel remorse about what happened, about what I did. It bothers me, what happened,” he said.
The police officer who was there at the time of the shooting, Larry Jerrod, spoke as well, describing his effort to defuse the situation. He also shared the mental struggles that he overcame in the aftermath of the incident.