A Clayton County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday after pleading no contest to two murder charges in Arkansas, according to several media reports.
Gystin Michael Parker, 20, of Riverdale, killed two people after crashing a stolen Hyundai Sonata last year, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The daughter of the victims reportedly approved the plea deal.
Parker was arrested Sept. 12 after fleeing police in Hot Springs, Ark., and hitting a vehicle on Albert Pike Road, killing Georgia and Kathaline Luster, AJC.com previously reported. A few blocks before the crash, police called off the chase because the high speeds were becoming too dangerous.
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In addition to the murder charges, Parker also pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft by receiving more than $5,000 for stealing the Hyundai, the newspaper reported. He was given a 10-year sentence, which will run concurrently with his 20 years in prison. An additional felony charge of fleeing in a vehicle was withdrawn.
Parker will have to serve 70% of his sentence, or 14 years, before he is eligible for parole, the Democrat-Gazette reported.
He had previously been convicted of second-degree battery in Cobb County in November 2017, and he was also convicted of theft by taking, entering an auto and second-degree damage to property in Douglas County in June 2018, the newspaper reported. He was on parole at the time of the deadly wreck.
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