GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two teen boys accused of stabbing and beating a 16-year-old Wyoming High School student to death have pleaded guilty to charges of first degree pre-meditated murder.
Quentin Schafer and Carlos Delgado, both 15, were charged as adults in the March killing of Michael White. White was a junior at Wyoming High School when a neighbor found his body in Lions Park in Wyoming March 19.
In court Monday, facing sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted, Schafer and Delgado pleaded guilty and cooperated to admit each other’s involvement in the crime. In exchange both teens now face reduced sentences of anywhere between 30-60 years in prison.
Previously, Delgado admitted his involvement to policeafter making incriminating statements on Facebook about the alleged crime, court documents revealed. Bloody clothes were also found at a home while police were executing a search warrant in the investigation.
According to court records, Schafer was last seen by witnesses with White and later made incriminating comments to Delgado about the murder. A weapon was also reportedly found and attributed to Schafer.
White was stabbed more than 20 times and was found with at least five areas of major blunt force trauma to his head, including "fractures to the upper and lower jaw,” a doctor who performed White’s autopsy previously testified in court. Police testimony stated brass knuckles, a knife handle, and then later the knife blade were found within 25 feet of White's body in Lions Park.
Relatives of White declined to comment following Monday’s court proceedings but had previously told FOX 17 they wanted to see both teens sentenced to life in prison without a chance at parole.
A motive for White's death has not been revealed, but his family said they believe he was set up and lured to Lions Park.
Both Delgado and Schafer are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 7.
