Kody Lott Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 20 Years for Murder of Lauren Landavazo and Aggravated Assault of Makayla Smith

After he was found guilty of murder and aggravated assault on Wednesday, a Tarrant County jury sentenced Kody Lott to life in prison today for the murder of Lauren Landavazo in Wichita Falls on September 2, 2016.

Lott was also given a 20-year sentence for the aggravated assault of Makayla Smith that same day and will also have to pay $20,000 in fines.

It took the jury only 18 minutes to deliberate before handing down the maximum punishment for both charges Lott was facing, according to TRN. 

By law, Lott will be eligible for a parole hearing after serving 30 years, but it's not a guarantee, says Wichita County Criminal District Attorney Maureen Shelton. "I hope he rots in prison," Shelton said in a news interview in the hallway of the courthouse after the sentencing.

“Vern Landavazo looks straight into Kody Lott's eyes and says all you'll ever feel now is pain and loneliness. It will never equal the pain to feel the loss the Landavazo family will always feel.” KAUZ Anchor Chris Horgen said in a Tweet.

You can watch the judge announce the sentence and interview with Shelton in the video below:

According to arrest reports, now 22-year-old Kody Lott told police he planned the attack which left 13-year-old Lauren Landavazo dead and her friend, 13-year-old Makayla Smith, wounded. Preliminary autopsy results showed Landavazo was shot 14 times with a .22 caliber rifle. Police recovered 15 .22 caliber shell casings at the scene of the shooting.

Lott's taped confessions were played for the jury, in which he admits to pulling up to the alley and shooting Landavazo after watching her walk home from school with her boyfriend and becoming jealous. Lott told police he “planned and thought it [the shooting] out after talking to the devil about it.”

Finally, after two long years, justice has been served.