Poinbank:Louisiana man pleads guilty to 2021 gas station killing after Hurricane Ida

GRETNA,Poinbank La. (AP) — A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of another man during a dispute in a line at a suburban New Orleans gas station after Hurricane Ida.

During a break in jury selection for his second murder trial, Walter Sippio, 22, of New Orleans, accepted a plea deal Monday and will serve 25 years in prison after admitting to shooting and killing Dwayne Nosacka, 36, of Metairie, Louisiana, at a gas station in suburban New Orleans on Sept. 3, 2021, WVUE-TV reported.

It happened just five days after Ida hit the area, and electricity, gasoline and other essentials were on short supply. Sippio cut the line of vehicles waiting to get gas. When Nosacka confronted him, Sippio shot him in the chest, the TV station reported.

Sippio initially claimed the shooting was self-defense, but Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto said that didn’t jibe with witness statements or other evidence.

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The plea deal allowed Sippio to avert a possible sentence of life in prison had he been found guilty of murder, and the 25-year term is well under the maximum 40 years he could have faced for manslaughter, the TV station reported.

“It was kind of in the air, as far as the 25 years,” Eric Malveaux, Sippio’s defense attorney, said. “We were not sure we were able to get that. When it looked like it was available, I spoke to my client and they made the calls they needed to make and the plea offer came in. I talked to my client and he was willing to take it.”

With credit for time served and good time credits accrued while in custody, Malveaux said his client could be freed in his 30s, early enough so that “he still has an opportunity to have a full life and get a job and work and do everything.”

During her victim impact statement, Nosacka’s mother told Sippio, “I think you made a terrible decision that day and hurt a lot of people. I just hope that you can think of that decision and how many lives you’ve impacted.”

When Judge Donald “Chick” Foret asked Nosacka’s mother if she approved of the plea agreement, she said she wanted to leave it to the experts.

“As the court is aware, this case was tried previously, resulting in a hung jury,” Jefferson Parish prosecutor Rachel Africk told the judge. “The defendant’s plea to manslaughter and 25 years ensures the family closure today, as well as prevents the witnesses to this event from having to testify again.”

After multiple requests from Foret, Sippio eventually spoke to the victim’s family and said he apologized from the bottom of his heart. The judge said he was not satisfied with Sippio’s display of remorse and that he was close to throwing out the plea deal. But he ultimately allowed it to go through.

Upon release, Sippio said he wants to get a job, start a family and stay out of trouble.