WACO, Texas (KWTX) – One of two suspects in a gang-related shooting that left a Waco teenager dead in 2020 was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison.

Elijah Marquise Thompson, 26, of Waco, pleaded guilty in 54th State District Court in Waco to murder in the June 2020 shooting death of Tyrese Lewayne Carroll.

Dallas County District Attorney Jason Hermus recommended Judge Susan Kelly sentence Thompson to seven years in prison.

Carroll, 19, was on the phone with his brother when he was fatally shot about 2 a.m. near the Whataburger restaurant at North Valley Mills and Lake Air Drives, according to an affidavit.

Malachi Jawan Wright, 26, was also charged with murder in the incident. He has a trial date set for March 31, 2025 in his case, which is also being handled by the Dallas County District Attorney’s office because McLennan County District Attorney Josh Tetens recused his office from handling the cases.

Tetens said he consulted with family members of the defendants while in private practice and declined his office “out of an abundance of caution,” even though he was not hired to represent any of the defendants.

Hermus declined to comment after the plea hearing, as did Clarie Crouch, a spokeswoman for the Dallas County District Attorney’s office.

Thompson must receive credit for serving at least half of the seven-year sentence before he can apply for parole, which won’t be long because he will be given credit for the 1,540 days he spent in the McLennan County Jail in waiting for his case. to solve.

After accepting the plea bargain, Kelly asked Thompson if he was “done with all this gang stuff.” Thompson said, “Yes ma’am.”

“Have you lost some friends?” asked the judge. Thompson said he did.

“Will you come back and live in our community and live in peace?” Kelly asked. Thompson said yes.

“And you will be a good role model for other young people when you return?” asked the judge. Thompson said yes.

“I’ll look,” said the judge.

Waco police who responded to the shooting learned that Carroll had been taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators later determined the shooting stemmed from “an ongoing feud between two local gangs,” both of which “have been involved in multiple shootings,” according to an arrest affidavit.

A witness told police Carroll was shot after walking up to a silver Ford Fusion driven by Wright. The witness told investigators that Wright shot Carroll through the driver’s side window, an affidavit states.

Then, according to the witness, “the rear right passenger door opened and Elijah Thompson got out and started shooting at Carroll until he fell to the ground.”

Carroll’s mother gave a victim impact statement after Thompson was sentenced and asked him why he had to keep shooting her son after he had already been shot.

“I don’t feel like anybody wins in this situation,” she said. “Tyrese is gone and you’re going to have this on your back for the rest of your life. Tyrese has a son. You have a son. We don’t need them to grow up with what their fathers went through.”

She said she has no hatred in her heart for Thompson and does not want revenge.

“I hope you have enough time to sit and think and get your mind right. Straighten your mind. I just want to know why you kept shooting.”

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