GEORGETOWN, DE -- On Friday, a Sussex County Superior Court Judge sentenced Randon Wilkerson to two life sentences, plus 212 years and 30 days behind bars, providing a sense of relief for fallen Delmar Police Cpl. Keith Heacook's family and the Delmar community.
Delmar Police Chief Ivan Barkley expressed his satisfaction with the verdict, stating, "The judge did an excellent job in looking at the totality of what occurred, at looking through the minutiae, because I really don't understand that defense. I think, an excellent job. Justice was served."
Prior to the judge announcing Wilkerson's sentence, the prosecution read victim impact statements from Heacook's wife, Susan, and his 14 year-old son, Matthew. Both spoke about the tremendous pain they have endured and all they have missed out on since the officer's murder. Matthew Heacook writing, "my life hasn't been the same since".
The prosecution labeled Wilkerson as a "walking bomb" who lit the fuse on April 25, 2021. They spoke about Wilkerson's long and troubled history with drug addiction, as well as a long history of violence and crime. They said despite repeated attempts from his family to help Wilkerson, he chose a different path. One prosecutor stated, "If he does not care about his own life, he cannot care about others."
The defense and Wilkerson also read statements, highlighting Wilkerson's longtime battle with drug addiction, mental illness, and delusion at the time of the murder. They said, "it's not an excuse, just a fact." They blamed a false reality induced by drugs, stating Wilkerson was "under a bizarre delusion that he had to stop a child predator".
In his own statement addressed to the court, Wilkerson expressed that he was "out of my mind" and prays for Heacook's family everyday.
Judge Craig Karsnitz says he read Wilkerson's statement during the pre-sentencing investigation and considered all factors in the case. He says each of the Wilkerson's crimes were committed in the "top severity". Despite Wilkerson's remorse and the defense's argument, the judge told Wilkerson, "you chose the life you wanted to live".
Cpl. Heacook's sister, Anita Feaster, was at the sentencing. She says justice was served, though it will not bring back her brother.
"I don't care if you take drugs, you know what you did," says Feaster. "He knows what he did. So, he's got to live with that, so hopefully he can live with that. He made that choice everyday, so hopefully it's going to be over now."
Delmar Mayor, Tom Bauer was also present in the courtroom Friday, the case still weighing heavily on him emotionally.
"Two-hundred and twelve years plus two life sentences, I don't think he's going anywhere," says Bauer, through tears. "The community, we've just got to take it. They'll get through it."
Wilkerson will now be returned to the Sussex Correctional Institution to begin his sentence.
