John Freeman

Parties and identification

• Defendant: John Freeman (also referred to as John R. Freeman Jr. and John Robert Freeman Jr.), described as 17 at sentencing and as 16 during the earlier proceedings.
• Co-defendant: Tyler Best (Tyler S. Best), described as 18 during the earlier proceedings.
• Victim: Isabella Tennant (also referred to as Isabella Sara Tennant Freeman and Isabella M. Tennant), 5 years old.
• Victim’s mother: Crystal Walker.
• Victim’s father: Michael Tennant.
• Victim’s uncle: Jack Tennant, who represented Michael Tennant in court and read Michael Tennant’s statement.
• Victim’s great-aunt: Linda Schram.
• Great-grandmother: Sharon Lascelle.
• Great-grandmother’s household member: Hank Lascelle.
• Defense attorney: Robert Viola.
• Prosecutor: Holly Sloma, Second Assistant District Attorney (also referred to as Deputy District Attorney Holly E. Sloma / Holly E. Sloma).
• Judge: Matthew J. Murphy III, Niagara County Judge.
• Detective: Detective Daniel Dobrasz.
• Erie County Medical Examiner: conducted an autopsy on Isabella’s body.
• Police official quoted: Niagara Falls Police Capt. William M. Thomson.
• Other named individuals:
  • Christopher DiDonna, former cadet leader.
  • Christina Conte, family friend.
  • Maria, referenced as Michael Tennant’s fiancee.
  • Player’s, a Niagara Falls sports bar (referenced as the mother’s workplace).
  • WIVB-TV (quoted as the outlet Crystal Walker spoke to).
  • News 4 (used for a quote from Christopher DiDonna).
  • NBC News (referenced for a posted statement).
  • Sal Maglie Stadium (site of a candlelight vigil).

Timeline

• September 5, 2013 — John Freeman was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison.
• September 6, 2013 — Coverage described Freeman standing at the defense table, Judge Matthew J. Murphy III’s courtroom, and remarks at sentencing.
• July 3, 2013 — Freeman pleaded guilty to two counts: second-degree murder and tampering with evidence; sentencing was set for Sept. 5.
• August 26, 2012 — Freeman pleaded guilty in connection with the case terms for the Aug. 26, 2012 death of the Cheektowaga girl.
• August 27 — Isabella was reported missing at about 6:20 a.m. from her great-grandmother’s home.
• August 28, 2012 — First court appearance and early charges described; Isabella’s body was found in the trash can near downtown Niagara Falls around 9 a.m. on Monday.
• Aug. 2 — Tyler Best pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence and first-degree hindering prosecution.
• Sept. 27 — Tyler Best’s sentencing was set for Sept. 27.
• April 4, 2013 — Judge Matthew J. Murphy III ruled prosecutors could use Freeman’s videotaped and written confessions at Freeman’s upcoming murder trial.
• Aug. 29, 2012 — Coverage described Freeman as a 16-year-old accused of killing Isabella and dumping her body in a trash can, with discussion of the coroner’s report and community details.
• Tuesday night (community vigil) — About one thousand people gathered for a vigil and lit candles in Isabella’s memory.

Background

John Freeman lived near Isabella’s great-grandmother’s home and had been described as a trusted family friend. The family reported that it was not uncommon for him to be at the great-grandmother’s home and be around Isabella without supervision. Crystal Walker described the home environment and explained that Sharon Lascelle had been welcoming. Crystal Walker told WIVB-TV that she blamed her grandmother at the time but also said it was not her fault because she trusted the kid.

Freeman and his stepfather were described as frequently coming over when times were tough after Freeman’s mother, who was described as “really bad into drugs,” deserted them. Christopher DiDonna said Freeman had been a member of the Niagara Falls Junior Military Cadets and that he had been an excellent cadet and squad leader.

Isabella had been staying at her great-grandmother’s (Sharon Lascelle) while her mother worked a shift at a Niagara Falls sports bar, Player’s. It was stated that Sharon Lascelle went to bed at around 11:00 p.m. and asked Freeman to come over and look after the child.

The offence

Isabella Tennant was killed and her body was disposed of in an alleyway garbage can.

Police stated that Freeman killed Isabella “with his bare hands.” Police described Isabella as having been fully clothed when her body was found. The Daily News account stated that Freeman and a friend bagged Isabella’s body and dumped it in an alleyway garbage can. The DailyMail account described the death as resulting from an obstructed airway and compression of the neck due to choking, with the coroner’s confirmation that she was choked to death by bare hands.

The Daily News account stated that police said they had no motive for the crime at the time.

Investigation

After Isabella was reported missing, detectives interviewed Freeman. Freeman was questioned at his Sixth Street home, in the presence of his father, and then taken to police headquarters to continue questioning with his father’s permission.

Judge Matthew J. Murphy III described that, for about two hours, Freeman denied knowing what had happened to Tennant and told investigators that his friend, Tyler Best, might have information about her. The judge said the “tenor” of the police questioning changed when Best showed up and told police what he knew. Best led police to a trash can in the alley behind 531 Third St., where Isabella’s body was found.

During the investigation, Freeman was taken out of an interview room where they could record what he was saying so that Best could be placed in the room and Best’s statement could be recorded. After Freeman was brought back, the judge said he was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak to investigators.

The judge described recorded statements including graphic details of how Isabella died. Freeman also gave investigators a DNA sample, his fingerprints, and his cell phone. An autopsy on Isabella’s body was conducted by the Erie County Medical Examiner, which concluded the cause of death as “asphyxiation due to mechanical obstruction of (her) airway and compression of the neck.”

Arrest and early court appearance

Freeman and Tyler Best were charged and made their first court appearance on Tuesday morning, with Isabella described as missing and then found in the trash can.

The Daily Mail account stated that at the arraignment in Niagara Falls City Court, during which both boys appeared on television blurred out, Freeman spoke only to answer the question: “Are you a student?” and “No,” while looking briefly at his own family and avoiding eye contact with Crystal Walker.

Trial and related hearings

Confession admissibility ruling (April 4, 2013)

Judge Matthew J. Murphy III ruled that prosecutors could use both Freeman’s videotaped and written confessions at his upcoming murder trial.

In the judge’s account of the interrogation:

• The judge said that, when Freeman was brought back, he was read Miranda rights and “agreed to speak to investigators.”
• The judge included a quoted statement in which Freeman said: “I guess so, because I already heard Tyler Best snitched.”
• Detective Daniel Dobrasz asked Freeman: “What did you hear?”
• Freeman responded: “That Tyler Best snitched. That Tyler Best confessed that we murdered Bella,”
• Dobrasz asked: “Did he (Best) say he did it?”
• Freeman replied: “You were asked what happened, you weren’t honest, your (expletive) is in a sling,” in the judge’s narration of Dobrasz’s reply to Freeman.
• Freeman then told Dobrasz that he had killed the little girl, and the judge quoted Freeman: “I guess I’m a little bit crazy,” Freeman said, “I just admitted to a killing. I’m going down and it could be for life.”
• When Dobrasz asked: “What did Tyler do?”
• Freeman replied: “Nothing.”

Judge Murphy said Freeman was first questioned after Tennant was reported missing from her great-grandmother’s home. Freeman’s family had described him as a close and trusted friend and said he was often around Isabella without supervision. The judge also stated that it was good police work to interview anyone who could provide information about a missing child.

Consideration of insanity defense

Freeman’s defense considered a possible insanity defense. Defense attorney Robert Viola told the judge that he expected a psychiatric report. The defense sought time to speak with Freeman and requested the confession be sealed.

In sentencing coverage, it was stated that experts could only identify that Freeman may have had fetal alcohol syndrome, and the diagnosis was described by Freeman’s attorneys as insufficient for an insanity plea. It was also described as potentially causing Freeman to act irrationally when he, while watching Isabella, could not get her to go to sleep. Holly Sloma scoffed at that explanation and said it did not account for the murder.

Judge Murphy rejected the fetal alcohol spectrum explanation, telling Freeman that fetal alcohol spectrum was “still no excuse for your behavior.” The judge also said: “You choked the life out of that little girl with no more thought than someone might crush a butterfly.”

Sentencing

Plea and charges

Freeman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. The July 3, 2013 plea was described as involving two counts in the murder of 5-year-old Isabella Tennant: second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

It was stated that Freeman’s four-year prison sentence for the tampering with physical evidence charge was merged with the murder sentence.

Sentencing hearing (September 5, 2013)

Judge Matthew J. Murphy III sentenced Freeman to 22 years to life in prison. The sentence was described as the most severe he could order under the terms of a July 3 plea bargain, which was slightly less than the legal maximum of 25 years to life for second-degree murder.

Before imposing the sentence, the judge expressed outrage over the crime. Judge Murphy said:

“Every now and then, a crime comes along that is so depraved that even the most hardened heart must feel the outrage,” Murphy said. “You choked the life out of that little girl for no reason.”

Holly Sloma made statements to the court. In one account, she said investigators were “stunned” by what happened to the little girl, and described that Freeman killed her “with his bare hands.” Sloma stated that Freeman “was calm, cool and collected, pleasant as he could be with the detectives … He spoke in cold detail of how he murdered, with his bare hands, a defenseless 5-year-old girl.”

Sloma also stated the last words Isabella spoke were, “It’s your turn to color,” and she expressed puzzlement about how that triggered the murder. Sloma also said Freeman could not explain why he killed Isabella and described him as dangerous.

Freeman made a remorse statement in court. Freeman said:

“I’m so sorry for all their family,” he said, choking back sobs as he turned toward the girl’s relatives. “I’m just sorry. I can’t say anything else.”

Sloma also quoted Freeman’s response in relation to rape:

“He said, ‘I didn’t rape her. I just killed her’,” Sloma said.

Jack Tennant rejected Freeman’s remorse and stated that the sentence followed the law. Jack Tennant said:

“(Freeman’s) not sorry. He’s definitely not sorry,” Tennant said. “The judge followed the law. I’d be satisfied if (Freeman) never saw the light of day.”

Michael Tennant wrote a letter read by Jack Tennant, stating he felt he might not be able to control himself if he saw Freeman. The letter included the following statements:

“this disgusting animal who thought he was so tough that he had to choke a 5-year-old girl.”

and:

“Freeman, do yourself a favor. Hope and pray that I, Isabella’s father, die before you get out of prison, because I will be watching and waiting for you. I’d like to see you choke me.”

Holly Sloma also stated she hoped Freeman was never paroled, and described Freeman’s explanation during questioning:

“Well, it looks like I’m going away for the rest of my life.” and Sloma replied: “Yeah. I hope so,” Sloma said.

Crystal Walker did not attend the sentencing because she had moved out of state. Linda Schram told reporters:

“Isabella is gone forever, and I don’t think any sentence can justify that. But as you can see, Isabella is not forgotten.”

Co-defendant case details (Tyler Best)

Tyler Best pleaded guilty on Aug. 2 to tampering with physical evidence and first-degree hindering prosecution for helping Freeman hide the body in a garbage tote.

It was stated that after the murder, Freeman awakened Best and told him what had happened. Best was staying at Freeman’s house on the night of the killing. Best went to Niagara Falls Police Headquarters the morning after the murder and led detectives to the body.

Best said:

“He held out a bag to me. We bagged her up and put her in a trash can,” Best said.

It was also stated that Best had been sentenced as scheduled for Sept. 27, and that he had been in jail since his confession. Murphy agreed to a plea bargain that included that the time Best served would count toward the maximum sentence of 16 months to four years.

Other details

Household and timeline elements mentioned

• Freeman was described as being a nearby neighbor and family friend.
• Isabella was left with Freeman when her great-grandparents went to bed.
• The body was found near downtown Niagara Falls in a trash can about 9 a.m. on Monday, a few hours after her family reported her missing.

Statements attributed to police and community

Niagara Falls Police Capt. William M. Thomson said:

• “It’s a terrible crime. It tears at your heart,” and:
• “I have grandchildren the same age as this victim, and it is horrible.” He also said there was no motive at the time, stating: “We don’t have any motive for this.”

A neighbor statement quoted in the DailyMail account said:

• “He’s been around for about seven years. He’d known her since she was a baby.”

A statement attributed to Christopher DiDonna said:

• “He was a squad leader,” and:
• “He was an excellent cadet. I’m shocked. I can’t believe this happened. [He] never had any violent tendencies.” He also said:
• “I had great hopes for his future,” and:
• “I thought he would join the military. Leave the cadet program, join the military and become quite successful.”

During the vigil, a quote attributed to a neighbor said:

‘We just held hands with the kids and told them, "say a prayer, taker her to heaven, tell Jesus to let her in and send that boy to hell."’

A quote attributed to Christina Conte at the candlelight vigil said:

“There are no words I could say to take away (Isabella’s mother) pain… I support her and I love her,”

Medical and forensic details referenced

• Autopsy cause of death: “asphyxiation due to mechanical obstruction of (her) airway and compression of the neck.”
• Police suspicion of an attempted sexual assault was mentioned, with Sloma stating investigators looked into that possibility.

Plea and scheduling references

• Freeman was scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5 after pleading guilty on July 3.
• Best’s sentencing was set for Sept. 27 after pleading guilty on Aug. 2.

Miscellaneous details referenced

• Freeman was described as “calm and deliberate” in describing the killing “in cold detail.”
• It was described that Freeman “couldn’t answer why,” and that he was “at 17 years old” so dangerous.
• Freeman’s defense attorney Robert Viola sought psychiatric evaluation and a psychiatric report.
• Freeman was described as being “in a mumbled voice that was barely audible in the courtroom” when expressing remorse at sentencing.