KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — One teen will spend life in prison and another faces a 20-year term for their roles in killing two young Michigan men and wounding a Knoxville teen in 2017.
Rico "Little Rico" Cook, who was 15 at the time of the June 2017 killings, faces life in prison plus 18 years. Cook is now age 17.
Deon Nolbert, who was 17 at the time, faces an effective 20-year sentence. He is now age 19.
Sergio Rivera, 18, and Jaleon Morris, 18, both of Decatur, Mich., were shot and killed in the parking lot of the Montgomery Village housing development in South Knoxville. They'd gone there to buy marijuana, according to police.
Damien Lee, 16 at the time and of Knoxville, also was shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Authorities said Cook was the leader in the killings.
One victim was found dead in a car, and the other two were lying in the parking lot. One of the victims later died at the hospital.
Cook and Nolbert were transferred from juvenile court to face prosecution in Knox County Criminal Court.
Judge Steve Sword imposed sentence.
Cook was convicted of two felony murder counts and an attempted second-degree murder count among others. Nolbert was convicted of facilitation to commit felony murder among other counts.
