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Gavin Seymour, 19, received a 40-year prison sentence on Friday for his involvement in a deadly arson attack on a Denver home. This came after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the arson attack that claimed the lives of five members of a Senegalese family, as per CBS News. The incident occurred on Truckee Street in Denver's Green Valley Ranch neighborhood in August 2020 and Seymour admitted to setting fire to the house in the middle of the night.
Seymour was handed the maximum for the second-degree murder charge after grieving family members spoke against him. The New York Post reported that the arson attack claimed the lives of five Senegalese family members: Djibril Diol, 29, his wife Adja Diol, 23, their daughter Khadija Diol, 1, Djibril’s sister, Hassan Diol, 25, and her 6-month-old daughter Hawa Baye. Three individuals managed to escape by jumping from windows.
Gavin Seymour receives a 40-year prison sentence for Arson Attack
Gavin Seymour, a 19-year-old, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his involvement in a tragic fire that occurred on August 5, 2020. At the time of the incident, Seymour was 16 years old, and he was reportedly accompanied by Kevin Bui and Dillon Siebert, as per the New York Post.
The trio was reportedly seeking revenge over a cell phone that had been stolen from Bui. As per CBS News, the suspects used an app and tracked the stolen phone at the wrong address, which belonged to the victims, who had no connection to Bui and the cell phone.
Believing the robbers resided there, they purchased hockey-style masks from a costume store and broke into the home, armed with containers filled with gasoline. Law&Crime reported that after dousing the walls with accelerant, they set the home ablaze and fled the scene. The fire quickly engulfed the residence, prompting a nearby police officer to attempt a rescue. However, the intensity of the smoke and flames hindered their efforts.
While three individuals managed to escape by jumping from a second-story window, five occupants lost their lives in the blaze. Djibril “Jibby” Diol, his wife Adja, and their 21-month-old daughter, Khadija, as well as Diol’s sister Hassan and her 6-month-old daughter, Hawa Beye, were discovered lifeless at the residence's entrance.
The following morning, Gavin Seymour, realizing the severity of their actions, searched for information about murder sentences online. However, it took several months for investigators to identify and apprehend the teenagers. Eventually, police obtained a search warrant requesting Google data to determine accounts that had searched the home’s address within 15 days of the fire, leading to the suspects being identified in the case, as per the New York Post.
Family members demand justice for victims during Gavin Seymour's sentencing
During Friday's hearing, emotions ran high as individuals from both sides pleaded their case. As per NBC affiliate KUSA, one of the victims' family members Hapsa Ba expressed their sentiments during the hearing and said:
“You don’t deserve jail – you deserve the death penalty – but since we don’t have that in Colorado – give the maximum.”
Hamady Diol, who lost his son, daughter, and grandchildren in the fire, spoke from Senegal, stating, that they feel "powerless." They addressed Gavin Seymour and told him that the victims "couldn’t even kill a fly." Speaking about their late family members, they said:
"The people you killed were my hope and life. Know you haven’t just killed five people — myself and their mother — we’re breathing — but we’re dead."
Contritely, Gavin Seymour, the convicted teen, then expressed remorse, saying:
"I relive August 5th, 2020, every day I wake up... I want to apologize for my role in the arson. There is not a moment I don’t feel remorse. I wish it was me instead of them."
His parents also spoke in his defense, with his mother, Stephanie Tyler, stating that this "tragedy does not define his soul." She stated that while he made a "grave decision," he is not a "monster."
Denver District Court Judge Karen Brody then handed Gavin Seymour the maximum sentence allowed under the plea agreement.
Kevin Bui, another defendant, faces multiple counts of first-degree murder and his arraignment is scheduled for March 21. Dillon Siebert, who received a lesser sentence, was sentenced to seven years in district court and three years in juvenile court, as per CBS News.
