Man receives life in prison for 2013 home invasion murder

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The family of a 22-year-old man who was shot and stabbed in his parent's Osceola County home in 2013 says it got justice.
 
Eric Roopnarine was murdered during a home invasion and one of his killers, David Damus, was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.
 
Damus took the stand in his own defense last year and mouthed off to state attorney Jeff Ashton for losing the Casey Anthony case, but was quiet and respectful at Thursday's hearing.
 
Prosecutors said Damus shot Roopnarine in the face as he begged for his life during the home invasion robbery. Konrad Schafer, Damus' friend, pleaded guilty two months ago to accusations he stabbed the victim after he was shot until he stopped breathing.
 
The judge told Damus there was no reason he killed Roopnarine "other than just to avoid responsibility for (his) criminal act or just out of pure evil."
 
Roopnarine's family watched Damus get fingerprinted and personally thanked Osceola County law enforcement officers who helped solve the case.
 
Investigators said the incident was one of 22 shootings in 15 days involving Shafer, who was 15 years old when Roopnarine was killed.
 
"I wish him that he rot in jail as long as he can and burn in hell for the wrong he did to my grandson," Roopnarine's grandfather said.
 
"It's not us punishing him. He's punishing himself because of his actions," Pooran Roopnarine, the victim's father, said.
 
Damus' relatives had caused an outburst in court when he was found guilty last year, but sat silently Thursday. They said he was innocent and Shafer killed two people.
 
Shafer also pleaded guilty to murdering a 17-year-old at a bus stop during the 15-day shooting spree. His sentencing is scheduled for April 15.
 
A life sentence was the only legal sentence for Damus' convictions of felony murder and armed burglary.
 
He is expected to appeal.