3 Men Plead Guilty in Shooting Death of Girl, 12, Who Went to Party on the Way to Grandmother's House

Todriana Peters was killed on May 30 while charging her phone at a New Orleans graduation party

Photo: Sophia Germer/AP/Shutterstock

Five months after a New Orleans shooting killed 12-year-old girl Todriana Peters, three young men have pleaded guilty to charges associated with her death.

According to The Times-Picayune, Todriana's parents were present in the courtroom Wednesday when Pernell Young Jr., Tyrese Riley and Marcus Venible admitted to playing roles in the fatal shooting.

On May 30, Todriana stopped by a graduation party with her cousin before heading to her grandmother's house, a prosecutor told the court, the Associated Press and Times-Picayune report.

While Todriana was outside the party charging her phone in a car, a group of men opened fire in her direction, striking her and two others. Todriana was transported to a hospital, where she died from her wounds. The other two teenage victims survived.

New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams said in a September press conference that investigators believe the graduation party shooting was an act of retaliation from an earlier incident.

Williams said that Young, Riley and Venible had been shot at by a vehicle before the graduation party began; when they arrived at the party, they thought they spotted the car responsible. In an attempt of retaliation, Williams said members of Young's friend group then shot at the vehicle, which happened to be the one Todriana was sitting in.

Afterward, the men split up to get rid of evidence.

Tyrese Riley, Marcus Venible, Pernell Young Jr. New Orleans Police Department (3)

Ten men in total were indicted by a grand jury in Todriana's death. Young, Riley and Venible are the first of the 10 to plead guilty to their role in the shooting, though in an agreement with the state, their charges were reduced, the Times-Picayune reports.

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According to the newspaper, Young pleaded guilty to manslaughter, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, illegal discharge of a weapon during a crime of violence and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the last count alone, but has yet to receive sentencing on the other charges.

Riley and Venible, who prosecutors say did not fire any weapons themselves, were sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to commit second-degree murder and conspiring to commit the illegal discharge of a weapon during a crime of violence. They received an additional sentence of five years as accessories after the fact to second-degree murder, the outlet reports.

"The senseless violence in NOLA must come to an end," Williams wrote on Twitter Thursday. "Too many families are having to deal with the pain of losing children & loved ones. Our office is committed to securing justice for the family of Todriana Peters & holding those responsible for her murder accountable."