Convicted killer Justin Givens enters the courtroom escorted by Columbiana County sheriff deputies prior to his sentencing Tuesday morning. Given a life sentence for the 2022 murder of Mary Ann McGuire, he won’t be eligible for parole for at least 23 years and one month due to consecutive sentences for numerous charges, along with charges from an unrelated case. (Photo by Mary Ann Greier)

LISBON — Family members described Mary Ann McGuire as selfless, loving, humble and inspiring — a positive light and kind soul who cared for her family, her friends and thousands of patients during her years as a nurse.

On March 18, 2022, that light dimmed forever when Justin Givens shot her to death on her Depot Road, Lisbon property. The wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend was remembered fondly Tuesday as Givens faced sentencing.

Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton sentenced Givens, 28, formerly of Salineville, to a total of 23 years and one month to life in prison for charges from the murder case and charges from an unrelated case.

The breakdown was 15 years to life for the murder, a mandatory three years for the gun specification, 18 months each for charges of grand theft when the property is a firearm or dangerous ordnance, and two counts of tampering with evidence, both third-degree felonies, 10 months for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and 180 days for endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. The murder charge, gun specification, one grand theft charge, one tampering charge and the drug charge were ordered served consecutively, bringing the total to 21 years and 10 months to life.

Bickerton also sentenced Givens to 15 months for improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor endangering children charge for a Dec. 26, 2021 traffic stop when he had a firearm in the vehicle with children present.

Add it all together and Givens must serve 23 years and one month before he can become eligible for parole.

“I will never understand the evil that resulted in your actions,” Bickerton told Givens, adding she hoped he listened to what Mary Ann’s family members had to say. “I see zero emotion. I see zero remorse.”

As Bickerton chastised Givens before passing sentence, she talked about the incident that happened in December when he had loaded guns in the car and those guns were taken away. What did he do? He went out and got more guns. A few months later, he killed Mary Ann. When asked if he had anything to say, with the room packed with members of her family, Givens simply replied “No.”

“You don’t even have the decency to tell them you’re sorry, that you made a mistake,” Bickerton said.

As she was detailing the sentence, she ordered him to look at her and keep his head up — she wanted him to hear everything she was saying. She found consecutive sentences necessary to protect the public, noting that since being put in jail, he’s done nothing but tally up new charges.

To the family, she offered her condolences and noted that Mary Ann not only impacted their lives but the lives of many others.

“Thank you for honoring her life. She clearly, clearly deserves it,” Bickerton concluded.

The judge went a little farther in the sentence than what the prosecution recommended, making the sentence for the drug charge for possessing methamphetamine consecutive to the rest. County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Weikart reviewed his recommendation, saying there is no punishment they can make that would make the family and friends whole. He said that Mary Ann didn’t like the relationship that Givens had with her stepdaughter, Alyssa McGuire, but tried to treat him fairly with respect.

He said Givens shot her in front of her grandchildren, the children he shared with Alyssa, then he fled with all of them, buried the guns he stole from the house, tampered with his cell phone and kept his family in a field overnight, cold and wet, before being found the next day after the murder. At the time, he was under indictment for the December 2021 case.

When a plea agreement was reached in the murder case, Weikart said the family was in agreement. He believed this was about getting closure and told the judge “keep in mind the damage this defendant did to this family.”

Assistant Prosecutor Tammie Riley Jones also spoke regarding that December 2021 case, asking for consecutive sentences.

Several of Mary Ann’s family members addressed the court, including stepdaughters Samantha McGuire and Alyssa McGuire, her oldest living brother, Clem Ewing, her nephew Steven Moore and her sister Sally Moore, who was accompanied by her husband Michael.

Bickerton acknowledged receiving a letter via email from Mary Ann’s niece, Kelsey Ewing, who considered her a second mother after losing her own mother at a young age.

Clem talked about Mary Ann caring for thousands of patients during her nursing career at Salem Regional Medical Center and after retirement at Copeland Oaks in Sebring. What Givens did has had an effect on family and friends from Florida to Oregon and everywhere in between. He said Givens has “shown no remorse whatsoever.”

He told the judge that Givens is a threat to society and should have to spend the rest of his life in prison or at least 68 years, which is how old Mary Ann was when she was murdered. He pointed out that Givens did this in front of his own children, shooting their grandmother and hoped God took care of them.

“He is a extremely evil and dangerous man. He should never be released from prison,” he said.

Wearing a T-shirt that said “I ran for Mary Ann,” nephew Steven Moore spoke about his aunt’s positive light on all who knew her. He admitted he was upset about the plea deal, but was thankful that the two children wouldn’t have to testify, saying Givens doesn’t deserve leniency.

Sally, who had faithfully attended many of the hearings leading up the sentencing, talked about how her sister cheered on others and was inspired to become a nurse after caring for their own mother.

“That kind soul is gone,” she said, adding that strength in all their lives is gone.

Both Samantha and Alyssa spoke about how much Mary Ann meant to them as a mother, with Samantha talking about her selflessness and how “she will always live in our hearts.”

Alyssa, who was with Givens when he murdered Mary Ann, said he had no right to take her children’s grandmother from them. She said he stole her best friend. Alyssa is facing her own charge related to the murder, for obstructing official business for not being truthful with investigators in the beginning. A pretrial remains pending on Aug. 14.

When asked about the upcoming hearing, Weikart said the case is going forward.

Givens’ attorney, Damian Billak, said the sentence was a joint recommendation, with Justin saying he wanted to minimize the harm he had done, so the family didn’t have to go through a trial.

“He understands what he did and what he took from them,” Billak said.

After the hearing, Assistant Prosecutor Alec Beech credited the county sheriff’s office and the prosecutor’s office staff for their work. He hoped the family got some closure.

“We think justice was served,” he said.