Heriberto Viramontes sentenced to 90 years in Bucktown bat attack
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The man convicted in a brutal 2010 bat attack in the Bucktown neighborhood was sentenced to 90 years in prison on Thursday.
Heriberto Viramontes was found guilty last fall of robbing and beating two young women in April 2010. Viramontes' girlfriend Marcy Cruz has already been sentenced to 22 years in prison for driving the getaway car.
Natasha McShane, an exchange student from northern Ireland, and her friend Stacy Jurich both suffered brain damage as of a result of the attack. McShane has returned to Northern Ireland following the attack, and can only speak a few words. Jurich has seizures, migraines and balance issues, but was well enough to testify. She made her final court appearance as her attacker was sentenced to 90 years in prison.
"Thank you for the city of Chicago for being so supportive, it's still a beautiful place for us to live. I'm very excited for the outcome today, and I'm happy he can't hurt anyone again," said Jurich.
Judge Jorge Alonzo sentenced Heriberto Viramontes to 90 years for the bat attack of two young women in 2010. Both suffered brain damage and Natasha McShane was severely injured. She can only speak a few words and requires 24-hour care. McShane's family returned once again to Chicago for the sentencing from Northern Ireland.
"We are pleased with the sentence. It provides us with some sense of justice for Natasha and Stacy. We'd like to thank the state's attorney's office and the jury for an amazing job on this case," said Sheila McShane, victim's mother.
McShane's mother and Jurich told the judge their lives and their families lives are changed forever. Stacy Jurich testified: "Please consider how we will continue to struggle after today." Sheila McShane said: "Natasha will have a life sentence of pain, misery and unfulfillment."
Viramontes admitted to the crime in jailhouse phone calls. The tapes were played Thursday in court.
"I probably hit her once, then hit the other (expletive) once, took her (expletive). That's it. But not hard, not to kill 'em, not to hurt 'em," Viramontes said on the tape.
Before learning his sentence, Viramontes told the judge he hoped his victims and their families can heal. But prosecutors played what he said about McShane in jail.
"Maybe this is good for her, stop being in the (expletive) streets late at night drinking," Viramontes said on the tape.
"The jail call. . .I think really is indicative that he's the personification of evil," said Alvarez.
Several relatives of Viramontes told the judge of a man whose father was murdered when he was one year old. His sister Veronica Ramos told the judge: "He is not a monster. He has kids of his own."
Judge Alonzo acknowledged another side of Viramontes that his relatives spoke of, but handed down a 90-year sentence saying Viramontes' crime was "cowardly" and "cold-blooded," and there was "no real prospect for rehabilitation."
The Viramontes family left court Thursday without comment on the sentence. The 35-year-old will have to serve at least 85-percent of those 90 years, the punishment is effectively a life sentence. Viramontes faced a maximum of 120 years behind bars.
The McShane family will return to Northern Ireland to care for Natasha, who has made some improvement but will never be the young woman she was when she first came to Chicago. Jurich said she's had to give up her career and is unable to drive or ride a bike, but hopes to start a new chapter in her life now that the legal case is over.
