PONTIAC, Mich. – The parents of one of the students murdered in the Oxford High School shooting provided victim impact statements and addressed the shooter in court Friday during his sentencing hearing.
On Nov. 30, 2021, a 15-year-old sophomore at Oxford High School brought a gun to the building and opened fire, killing four students -- 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, and 17-year-old Justin Shilling -- and injured seven other people.
In October 2022, the shooter pleaded guilty to 24 felony charges. Judge Kwamé Rowe has ruled that the shooter is eligible to be sentenced to life in prison without parole, despite his age. The shooter’s sentencing hearing began Friday, Dec. 8.
Survivors and others impacted by the deadly shooting were invited to deliver victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing. Craig Shilling and Jill Soave, the parents of murder victim Justin Shilling, were among those who provided victim impact statements.
Shilling’s parents both spoke of the loss their family has felt since their son’s death and asked the judge to sentence the shooter to the maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“The manner in which my son Justin was so cold-heartedly, methodically, executed, shows clearly the pure evil and malice of the shooter. For this act alone, your honor, he deserves life without parole. No mother should have to put her child in the ground,” Soave said.
“In lieu of execution, I feel strongly that the individual should never be allowed to walk among his peers again,” Shilling said. “That is why I’m going to ask you to lock this son of a b---- up for the rest of his pathetic life. His blatant lack of human decency and disturbing thoughts on life in general do not in any way warrant a second chance. My son doesn’t get a second chance, and neither should he.”
Shilling and Soave also both directly addressed the shooter while delivering their victim impact statements. Shilling said that the shooter would be remembered as the “biggest coward in Michigan history.”
“I also think that as you rot away, lamenting over your wasted life, you should take time to ponder the fact that although you have taken four lives, the selfless gesture of organ donation by my son saved at least five lives. Thus, overshadowing your delusions of grandeur and effectively nullifying all that you feel you’ve accomplished. Stew on that for a while, and maybe you’ll realize that as long as there are good people in the world, willingly to selflessly give of themselves to help others evil will never triumph,” Shilling said.
Soave told the shooter that she believed his life will only get worse and that he will be forgotten while the survivors of the shooting will continue to do good things in the world and spread kindness in honor of their loved ones.
“You may have ended Justin’s life on this plane, but you did not in any way affect his soul. You don’t have the power to do that. You may have caused the pain and terror as you intended to do, but you did not destroy us. There is more love and light in this world because of the legacies of Justin, Tate, Hana, and Madisyn. I don’t focus on hating you. But I also don’t feel a drop of pity towards you. I don’t feel anything towards you. You are nothing to me. You don’t even exist. While you rot in jail, we will push on, and we will do so many good things in the world, spreading so much good and kindness in honor of our angels,” Soave said.
---> Live updates: Sentencing hearing for Oxford High School shooter
The videos below include full victim impact statements from Craig Shilling and Jill Soave:
Craig Shilling, father of Justin Shilling delivers victim impact statement
Justin Shilling’s father Craig Shilling said the murder of his son has left him “completely lost in a seemingly endless sea of raging emotions with no care as to what happened to me.”
He said grief had consumed him and “squeezed out every bit of joy and happiness in my life.” He is uncertain if he will find his way back. He said the events of the shooting “rocked three generations of my family and has altered our future forever.”
Holidays, birthdays, and other milestones don’t hold the joy they used to. He said the continuity of life was lost on the day his son was murdered. “Like a severed electrical line, that flow was no longer there. Instead, we’ve fallen into the darkness.”
Shilling said he has PTSD and struggles most days to get out of bed. Even the most simple, most normal things are difficult. The things he used to find enjoyment from are no longer reliable.
“Golfing, bowling, ball games, hunting, fishing, camping, kayaking, are just a few of the activities I used to do with Justin that seemingly will never have the same effects based solely on the effect that he’s not there to do them with me,” Shilling said.
“This unfair reality is something I will never get over. Day to day life goes on for so many, but in the clutches of grief and heartache, the difficulties are real and have so many side effects. It almost feels like time slows down and everything around you speeds up.
“It’s been two years already but feels much like yesterday. I still find myself waiting up for him to get home from work so we can get a few minutes to chat as it was often the only time we had that chance to. It’s unbearable to know that he’s never going to walk through that door.”
Shilling asked the judge to sentence the shooter to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“In lieu of execution, I feel strongly that the individual should never be allowed to walk among his peers again,” he said. “That is why I’m going to ask you to lock this son of a b---- up for the rest of his pathetic life. His blatant lack of human decency and disturbing thoughts on life in general do not in any way warrant a second chance. My son doesn’t get a second chance, and neither should he.”
Shilling directly addressed the shooter:
“His very name should be condemned, recognized only by his cowardly, vile, and malicious defiance of human law. Now with all that being said, I’d like to direct my comments to this disgusting individual that I speak of.
“He sits across the room from me at this very moment, dressed in orange, emotionless. Although I’m sure he may have a half-baked idea of just what I’d like to do to him, I’m not quite sure he has adequately envisioned the exact nature of this idea.
“I’d really like an opportunity to physically show him how much pain he has caused me and my family. But in a civilized society, governed by complex laws such as ours, this type of display is not permitted. But you can rest assured, you piece of s---, that baby bird’s screams would pale in comparison to the screams that you would exude if I were only able to show you.
“But luckily for you, they won’t let me. So I will hope with every bit of hope I have left, that with every passing thought or memory that you have about what you’ve done, you remember my statement, and take time to imagine that happening, and recognize it in the worst way possible.
“I’ve tried to put myself in your shoes and over and over tried to imagine what could have possibly been so horrible in your life to have caused you to commit these crimes. I actually thought long and hard, and can come up with no logical explanation. The fact is that what you did was reprehensible and completely unnecessary.
“You see, we use things called words, to convey our thoughts and our concerns and our opinions. Sometimes those who we share our words with don’t hear them or choose to not listen. But this is no reason to throw a tantrum and do the wrong thing.
“You simply have to speak louder and to more people until you get the results you desire. Life is not easy in any sense of the word. It often feels cruel and unfair, but what you have obviously overlooked is the fact that life is the most precious gift each and every one of us receive and you have completely wasted yours.
“You said you wanted to be remembered as the person who committed the biggest shooting in Michigan history, and this may be true. But I will have it entered on file, at this time, on this day, for the world to know forever that (the shooter) should be remembered as the biggest coward in Michigan history.
“An individual who unfairly preys upon unsuspecting and helpless lives without the courage to meet their same fate. A truly detestable and ignominious excuse of a human being. Now my last words for you, before I conclude is that I truly hope that your new roommates welcome you in properly and show you the kind of treatment you can only get on the inside as it’s clearly all you’ve ever wanted. It is my hope that there is some kind of pain involved.
“I also think that as you rot away, lamenting over your wasted life, you should take time to ponder the fact that although you have taken four lives, the selfless gesture of organ donation by my son saved at least five lives. Thus, overshadowing your delusions of grandeur and effectively nullifying all that you feel you’ve accomplished. Stew on that for a while, and maybe you’ll realize that as long as there are good people in the world, willingly to selflessly give of themselves to help others evil will never triumph.”
---> Oxford shooting: Timeline of events leading up to shooter’s sentencing
Jill Soave, mother of Justin Shilling delivers victim impact statement
Justin Shilling’s mother Jill Soave asked the judge to sentence the shooter to life without the possibility of parole on behalf of her son, Justin Shilling.
“Your honor, it’s almost impossible to find the human words to describe my grief, pain, trauma, and rage. The manner in which my son Justin was so cold-heartedly, methodically, executed, shows clearly the pure evil and malice of the shooter. For this act alone, your honor, he deserves life without parole. No mother should have to put her child in the ground.”
Soave spoke of her son’s impact on his friends, teammates, co-workers, and others in the community. She said her heart breaks for their pain and trauma. She described her son as happy, humble, hardworking, grateful, stylish, funny, smart, loving, thoughtful, and empathetic. She said he never complained and always made time to lift up others.
“Justin’s siblings Nathan and Clay were robbed of much of their youth, their innocence, their joy, their beloved middle brother Justin. Their shared future memories and possibilities with Justin. Holidays, weddings, birthdays, as their mother I am beyond infuriated for the pain and their suffering. Clay, who was only 15, was hiding in the school that day as well. Fearing for his life. And worrying about Justin’s. Justin’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, all have suffered an unimaginable loss as Justin was and is so very loved and cherished by hiss entire family.”
Soave said her son was motivated and had a bright future that was full of possibilities.
“He didn’t deserve to die this way,” she said. “Justin would have been an amazing father. Children loved him and gravitated toward his big heart. He was such a gentleman and so very loving towards me and all women. Never letting me pump my own gas or hold my own door. He will always be my little sweetheart.”
Soave said her son spent his final moments protecting Keegan and saved six more lives through organ donation. “May his light and legacy live on forever,” she said.
Soave directly addressed the shooter:
“You may have ended Justin’s life on this plane, but you did not in any way affect his soul. You don’t have the power to do that. You may have caused the pain and terror as you intended to do, but you did not destroy us. There is more love and light in this world because of the legacies of Justin, Tate, Hana, and Madisyn.
“I don’t focus on hating you. But I also don’t feel a drop of pity towards you. I don’t feel anything towards you. You are nothing to me. You don’t even exist. While you rot in jail, we will push on, and we will do so many good things in the world, spreading so much good and kindness in honor of our angels
“You are facing the consequences of your actions here in this court of law. But you will also face your demons in the afterlife and there is no escaping that. I pray that you serve as a deterrent and as an example for other lost souls who seek fame by taking innocent lives.
“You did it when, you’re not famous. It didn’t turn out as you had hoped. The media will forget about you. They will move on. I know you’re miserable, and it’s only going to get worse as the reality does set in. But we are only going to get better. More healed, more loved, and more loving towards others. More peaceful and more full of grace.
“And one last thing I do want you to know. If you were that lonely, that miserable, that lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would have been your friend, if you had only asked him.”
---> Full coverage of the Oxford High School shooting case