Jacksonville man convicted as teen of killing suspected molester gets new sentence

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A convicted killer who was sentenced as a juvenile in 1995 to life in prison for shooting a suspected pedophile when he was 14 years old got a new sentence Monday.

Mark Berrios, 36, was offered a 30-year plea deal at a re-sentencing hearing.

The Jacksonville man accepted and will serve seven more years in prison after a 23-year incarceration period.

Berrios got credit for the time he served in county jail on top of the time he already served in prison.

His family, who have been fighting for a new sentence for years, hugged each other in the courtroom.

Investigators said Berrios shot and killed Olen Hepler, and stole his truck and $800.

His mother, Margaret Loring, said Berrios ran away from a 30-day juvenile program in Daytona Beach when he was 14.

She said he was a good kid who got into mischief, but never thought that mischief would lead to involvement with an abusive man.

Loring said Hepler was a pedophile who preyed on troubled boys.

According to newspaper reports at the time, evidence of Hepler’s pedophilia was not allowed to be admitted during Berrios trial.

A Supreme Court ruling that says juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without parole worked in Berrios' favor.

The judge also received a half-dozen letters of support and expert testimony from a man who says he endured the same abuse.

Cox Media Group