A case involving the fatal shooting of a Salina South High School student back in May of 2015 finally came to a conclusion, when the final defendant was sentenced Friday afternoon.

Judge Rene Young sentenced 20-year-old Jerome Forbes to a total of 68 months in prison. Forbes had pled to charges that include Involuntary Manslaughter, Felony Obstruction, and Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery. He also cooperated with police during the investigation.

The case involves the death of 17-year-old Allie Saum, in what was a case of mistaken identity.

Saline County Attorney Ellen Mitchell said that the role Forbes played was far less. “He did not fire a shot, did not drive the car, and did not set the series of events in motion that lead to the shooting,” she said. But he did willingly join the group so they would have strength in numbers as they went to seek revenge.

Prior to the sentencing Allie Saum’s aunt Jennifer Stevens spoke. She said that nothing will bring Allie back, but also spoke about forgiveness. Stevens referenced bible scripture. Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Forbes also spoke. He said that everyday he thinks about what happened. He apologized to the family, and said that he prays that God continues to help them and give them strength.

Before issuing her sentence, Judge Young told Forbes that he and each of the other defendants had multiple opportunities to stop the sequence of events that lead to the shooting, yet none of theme did. The specific sentence was:

55 months for Involuntary Manslaughter
6 months Felony Obstruction
7 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

Forbes was also ordered to pay a little over $7,000 in restitution and fees, some of which will be divided among the other four defendants in the case.

Previously, another of the five defendants pled to similar charges. 20-year-old Daniel Sims pled to charges that include Involuntary Manslaughter and Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery. He also cooperated with police, and testified against other co-defendants in the case. He was sentenced to a total of 50 months in prison.

18-year-old Andrew Woodring pled to felony murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years. Woodring who was 17-years-old at the time he committed the crime, was prosecuted as an adult. After agreeing to the felony murder plea he had unsuccessfully tried to withdraw it.

Two other men in the case were found guilty following trials.

23-year-old Maceo Palacio, the man who fired the fatal shot, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years for First Degree Murder conviction . Palacio was also sentenced for other crimes, including:

234 months for Attempted First Degree Murder
59 months for Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle
6 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

20-year-old Stephen Gentry was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for a First Degree Murder conviction. Gentry was the instigator in a plot to seek revenge, after being punched in a previous incident. He gathered a group of people together, ultimately misidentified a truck, and instructed Palacio to fire shots at it. Gentry was also sentenced for other crimes including:

253 months for Attempted First Degree Murder
59 months for Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle
6 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

Allie Saum was shot and killed on May 6th, 2015. Shots were fired at a truck as it drove eastbound in the 500 block of Russell.

The truck was misidentified as being connected to an earlier altercation. Saum was a passenger in the truck, and was hit by one of five shots that were fired.

Mitchell said that it obviously has been very difficult for the family, for a variety of reasons. Allie had acted as a caretaker for her blind father. Allie’s mother will never get to experience things that mother’s look forward too, like watching Allie get married or becoming a grandmother. She concluded that the family can begin the process of healing, and living without Allie.

17-year-old Allie Saum. She was shot and killed on May 6th, 2015.