Defendant Pleads Guilty to Burning Man to Death, Gets 2 Life Sentences

A man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison Friday for burning a black man alive then cutting off his head with an ax.

Louis Ceparano, 43, interrupted jury selection to enter his plea. Though he insisted that he did not commit the crime, he said prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him and he wanted to avoid facing the death penalty.

As part of his plea, Ceparano agreed to testify that another man, co-defendant Emmett Cressell Jr., killed Garnett P. Johnson.

Hours later, Cressell, who had been charged with first-degree murder, was indicted on the more serious charge of capital murder, which carries the death penalty.

Cressell, 37, was arrested late Friday. He had been free pending a July trial and had agreed to testify against Ceparano.

Prosecutors contend that Cressell and Ceparano, who both are white, soaked Johnson with gasoline after an all-night drinking party July 25, burned him alive then chopped the head off the charred body.

“G.P. was my friend. I didn’t do it,” Ceparano said as he pleaded guilty, facing members of Johnson’s family.

Ceparano pleaded guilty to capital murder and robbery charges, and received two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.