Michael Bargo, the convicted mastermind behind the brutal 2011 killing of 15-year-old Seath Jackson in Marion County, pleaded for his life Wednesday, claiming he is innocent.
The 21-year-old was convicted in August. The jury that found him guilty of first-degree murder recommended that he get the death penalty.
But at the Spencer hearing Wednesday, Bargo said he broke down crying, saying he didn't want to die.
“Your honor I don’t know, I think it’s terrible what happened," Bargo said. "A 15-year-old kid got killed, but I didn’t do this, I know I didn’t do this, I shouldn’t get the death penalty, I shouldn’t get a life sentence.”
Bargo went on to point out he was only 18 at the time of the murder.
The purpose of the Spencer hearing is to allow the defense to present mitigating evidence that could sway a judge to give Bargo a life sentence instead of death.
Bargo also criticized his defense attorneys on the stand, saying they ignored evidence that proved his innocence, among other errors.
Defense attorneys argued that Bargo was bullied on Facebook by Jackson, who nicknamed him "Princess."
A friend of the victim said though Bargo was older, he was no match for the taller Jackson in fights.
State prosecutors immediately rested Wednesday, offering no additional testimony. The defense had eight witnesses prepared to testify, including Scott Jackson, Seath's father.
Bargo wore a red jumpsuit and shackles in the courtroom, revealing his "sleeve" of tattoos for the first time since his murder trial began.
Prosecutors said Bargo and four others lured Jackson to a home in Summerfield in 2011, where they beat and shot him to death, dismembered and burned his remains, hid them in multiple paint cans and threw them in a rock quarry.
Bargo is the only one of the five people convicted in the case who faces the death penalty. Charlie Ely, Justin Soto, and siblings Kyle Hooper and Amber Wright all received life sentences.
The judge is expected to decide whether to uphold the jury's recommendation at a later date.