FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) – A Fort Wayne man that has been convicted of a 2021 double homicide is appealing his conviction which landed him a 140 year sentence.
21-year-old Tre Zwieg was found guilty in the shooting of 19-year-old Brendan Steave Cole and 16-year-old Juan Jose Ramirez Jr., sparking a legal battle over sufficient evidence and whether the sentence was suitable.
Zwieg’s legal team, comprised of attorneys James Voyles, Jennifer Lukemeyer, and Tyler Helmond, argues that evidence supporting their client’s conviction was insufficient. According to our partners in news at 21 Alive, they cite a lack of DNA evidence and inconsistent reports on the number of shots fired as key reasons why Zwieg’s convictions should be overturned.
Furthermore, Zwieg’s lawyers are urging the court to consider reducing his sentence, highlighting his age, criminal background, and mental health issues, including diagnoses of major depressive disorder and anxiety. They also noted his history of substance abuse, which includes alcohol, acid, mushrooms, and daily marijuana use.
However, Deputy Attorney General Courtney Staton contends that the evidence against Zwieg was robust and adequate to support his conviction. She rebuts the defense’s arguments, stating that Zwieg’s attorneys are essentially asking the court to reevaluate the evidence, which is beyond the court of appeals’ scope.
Staton emphasized the seriousness of Zwieg’s actions, saying that his sentence was appropriate given the evidence that he lured the teens to their deaths. She argues against mitigating factors such as Zwieg’s age, quoting a decision from the Indiana Supreme Court to support her position.
1 comment
Let him rot in jail for 140 years. Did not the jury find him guilty of a capital crime?