Chinese student's killer sentenced to 25 years

The killer of a Chinese overseas student has been sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole.

Holly Davis had pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Jiang Yue, a sophomore at Arizona State University, after the two were involved in a minor fender-bender in 2016.

"As Jiang Yue's relatives, we think the sentencing is unfair, but we have no choice but to face reality at this point," Jiang's cousin Xu Xiang said on Friday, the day of the sentencing, where Davis received the maximum penalty. "We expressed our frustration and regret at the justice system in Arizona."

Davis, 34, rear-ended Jiang's car at a red light in Tempe, Arizona on Jan 16, 2016, and then walked over to the driver's side of Jiang's car and shot the 19-year-old woman in the chest multiple times. Jiang later died at a hospital.

Davis initially pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal counts, including first-degree murder, during a hearing in February 2016, but later changed her mind and made a plea agreement with the prosecution in February 2018 for a mitigated punishment.

She pleaded guilty in exchange for a 25-year sentence and a $250,000 restitution fee, in addition to dismissal of all other charges, according to Xinhua.

Jiang's family, who called the sentence unjust, said they did not know about Davis' plea agreement until after it was made. The family traveled from China to Arizona to seek a harsher punishment for Davis.

But Amanda Jacinto, a public information director for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, said on June 11 that "communications were sent to the next of kin by this office both prior to and after a plea was signed in this case".

According to The Arizona Republic newspaper, Xu told Davis in the sentencing hearing on Friday that, "No matter how much you dress yourself like a human, your horrendous and inhuman acts with Yue's life will not disappear," she said. "Your stained hands will not turn white."

Davis was remorseful, the paper reported. "No words can express how sorry I am. ... I will live with this for the rest of my life," she said. "If I can change it, I would. If I can take her place, I would."

Davis will not be eligible for parole until she has served a minimum of 25 years in prison, according to Fox10.

During a June 8 press conference in Los Angeles, Xu said Jiang was dear to her family because Jiang's mother was killed in a car accident when Jiang was 4 years old.

"For Jiang's father, Jiang's death is like his beloved wife was killed twice," Xu said.