Miami Teen Thalys Oliveira Changes Plea In Girl's Shooting Death, Sentenced To Prison
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Thalys Oliveira to 11.5 years in state prison for the murder of 15-year-old Arya Gray.
Oliveria shot Gray in front of a group of people in an apartment on Miami Beach in May of 2020. Witnesses told police he was playing around with a gun when it happened.
In court Tuesday, Gray's family members took the stand one by one, explaining to the judge, just how detrimental this loss is for their family.
"I lost my person, my best friend," said Sasha Gray, Arya's sister.
Arya Gray's mother, Maria, told a judge her life was shattered the day her daughter was murdered. Nearly two years later, the pain is immense.
"I still can't remove her contact from my phone. I still have her name there and sometimes I'll text her just because you know? I want to feel that she's still here. And she's not. I'm never going to see her again," said Gray.
She addressed Oilveria directly, reminding him of the damage he's caused.
"You're a murderer and that's what you are and that's what you'll always be," said Gray.
"From the very beginning we didn't treat this as an accident. The kid purposely picked up a gun. He purposely pointed at her. He purposely put his finger on the trigger," said Mariano Corcilli, an attorney and family friend.
In court, Arya's sister, Sasha Gray, recalled the most tragic moments of her life. She was there when her sister was shot.
"It was the most traumatizing thing that's ever happened to me. The last thing I said to her was please don't leave me," said Sasha Gray.
"The most horrific thing you can go to is responding to a call of a family member," explains Walter Javier, a first responder and Uncle of Arya Gray.
Javier stayed by his niece's side as doctors tried to save her.
Defense attorneys asked the judge to sentence Oliveria to boot camp and probation. In this case, the judge said, punishment is more appropriate.
"He held a gun up to the young woman's head and pulled the trigger," said Judge Teresa Mary Pooler.
