Man, 21, sentenced to DEATH for his role in torturing, shooting, dismembering and burning teenage boy lured to a house by his ex-girlfriend

  • Michael Bargo is now the youngest of Florida's 404 death row inmate
  • He was found guilty in gruesome murder of Seath Jackson, 25, in April 2011
  • Four others involved in the murder are already serving life sentences
  • Bargo's mother testified in August that her son was aggressive because his father was abusive alcoholic
  • Bargo's father called out, 'I love you, son' before convicted killer was led out of courtroom
  • Seath Jackson was lured to a house in Summerfield where he was beaten, shot, burned and had his remains stuffed into paint cans and thrown in a pit

By Daily Mail Reporter
UPDATED: 17:48 EST, 13 December 2013


A 21-year-old man is heading to death row for his part in the grisly slaying of a Florida teenager that shocked the nation in 2011.

During a 10-minute hearing Friday, Circuit Judge David Eddy sentenced Michael Shane Bargo to death, making him the youngest of Florida's 404 death row inmates.

He was the last of five defendants to be sentenced in the April 2011 murder of Seath Jackson, 15, near Ocala.

Justice served: Michael Bargo, 21, was sentenced to death today for his part in the slaying of teenager Seath Jackson in April 2011

Justice served: Michael Bargo, 21, was sentenced to death today for his part in the slaying of teenager Seath Jackson in April 2011

Stone-faced: Bargo stared blankly at the judge as he read his sentence, only blinking a few times

Stone-faced: Bargo stared blankly at the judge as he read his sentence, only blinking a few times

Family and friends of Michael Bargo react during his sentencing hearing at the Marion County Judicial Center on
Family and friends of Michael Bargo react during his sentencing hearing at the Marion County Judicial Center on

Emotional day: Family and friends of Michael Bargo wept in the audience after learning of his fate

Too little, too late: Bargo's father, described during the trial as an abusive alcoholic, called out to him, saying 'I love you, son,' before he was led away

Too little, too late: Bargo's father, described during the trial as an abusive alcoholic, called out to him, saying 'I love you, son,' before he was led away

The other defendants — Amber Wright, 17; Kyle Hooper, 19; Charlie Kay Ely, 21; and Justin Soto, 22 — were all sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors say Jackson was lured to the home by his ex-girlfriend, Amber Wright, where he was beaten, shot and tortured before his body was burned in a backyard fire pit.

Dubious honor: At age 21, Bargo is the youngest of Florida's 404 death row inmates

Dubious honor: At age 21, Bargo is the youngest of Florida's 404 death row inmates

The teen's remains were then placed into three paint buckets and dumped into a limerock pit. Testimony showed bad blood existed between Jackson and Bargo, who started dating Wright after her split from the 15-year-old.

Bargo was believed to be the triggerman and mastermind behind the plot to kill Jackson. On the stand, however, Bargo fingered Hooper as the gunman.

'I reference my experience to note this is the most cold, calculated premeditated case of murder I have ever seen,' Judge Eddy said in court Friday, the Ocala Star-Banner reported.

In a recent jailhouse interview with the Star-Banner, Bargo said, ‘I'm not crazy, I'm not a psycho, I'm not a bad person.’

During the trial, Hooper described how Bargo ordered him to place Jackson in the bathtub alive so he would know who killed him.

Bargo told jurors during his trial in August that he wasn't at the home when Jackson was killed and was only an accessory after the fact. The jury recommended the death sentence by a 10-2 vote.

 

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During the penalty phase of the trial the defense presented evidence of a messy separation between his parents that left Bargo angry and bitter.

They also suggested that Bargo suffers from seizures in his brain where he becomes unable to control his emotions.

Convicted killer: Michael Bargo was convicted in less than three hours for his part in the 2011 murder of Seath Jackson

Convicted killer: Michael Bargo, pictured in August, was convicted in less than three hours for his part in the 2011 murder of Seath Jackson. A jury late yesterday decided he deserved the death sentence

The state countered with an expert that disagrees with some of the defense's assessment. They said Bargo was in control of his emotions the night Jackson was killed.

During his sentencing, the 21-year-old sat at the defense table staring blankly at the judge. Upon learning his fate, Bargo merely blinked, but showed no emotion. 

Jackson's family wasn't in the courtroom Friday. Bargo's relatives sobbed in the courtroom upon learning the sentence. His father, Michael Bargo Sr., called out ‘I love you son,’ before he was taken away.

The average death row inmate remains incarcerated in a cell measuring 6 by 9 feet for 13 years before execution.

His defense attorney argued that Bargo didn't act alone and he was clearly mentally ill.

But prosecutors convinced the majority of the 12-person jury at Marion County Court that Bargo was the mastermind of a cold, calculated and premeditated murder and deserved the death sentence.

His mother, Tracey O'Brien, 38, tearfully testified before the verdict in August that her son had grown up with an alcoholic father with an explosive temper.

His lawyers attempted to avoid the death penalty by arguing that Bargo, Jr suffered abuse at the hands of his mother and was traumatized by his parents' divorce.

Disturbing: Seath Tyler Jackson was brutally murdered and his body burned in a pit. His remains were then shovelled into paint cans and thrown in a dumpster

Disturbing: Seath Tyler Jackson was brutally murdered and his body burned in a pit. His remains were then shovelled into paint cans and thrown in a dumpster

Michael Bargo, 18
amber wright

Callous crime: Michael Bargo (left), and Charlie Ely (right) were both convicted for Seath Jackson's murder

Justin Soto, 20
James Havens III, 37

Associates: Justin Soto (left) was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, while James Young Havens III, was eventually found not to have been involved in the crime

amber wright
HOOPER.JPG

Ex-girlfriend: Amber Wright (left) and her step-brother Kyle Hooper (right) were both sentenced to life in prison without parole

The devastated mother was summoned to the Florida court from her home in Michigan to testify at her son's sentencing hearing.

O'Brien reportedly did not testify at her son's murder trial because, according to testimony from Bargo, Sr, her son didn't want her there.

She told the court that the hearing was the first time she'd seen her son in four years and detailed her unhappy marriage with Bargo, Sr, who she described as an abusive alcoholic who regularly lashed out in anger.

'He would throw dinner if it wasn't warm, or I said something wrong or we got into an argument, he would start throwing things,' she said.

Six people were arrested in connection to the brutal murder of Seath Jackson and four have already been convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Jackson was lured to a home in April 2011 by his ex-girlfriend Amber Wright under the pretense of rekindling their relationship.

Once Jackson arrived at the house, her new boyfriend Bargo, along with Wright, Justin Soto, Charlie K Ely and Kyle Hooper beat him, shot him multiple times, tied him up, broke his knees and burned his body alive, disposing of his remains in paint cans which they threw into a quarry.

Relieved: The parents of Seath Jackson, Sonia (center) and Scott Jackson were pleased when their son's killer was found guilty of his murder

Relieved: The parents of Seath Jackson, Sonia (center) and Scott Jackson were pleased when their son's killer was found guilty of his murder last week

Scene: 13890 Southeast 53rd Ave in Summerfield where Seath Tyler Jackson, 15, was beaten, shot and burned to death

Scene: 13890 Southeast 53rd Ave in Summerfield where Seath Tyler Jackson, 15, was beaten, shot and burned to death


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Bargo said, ¿I'm not crazy, I'm not a psycho, I'm not a bad person.¿ So what would this sicko consider to be a bad person? Hitler?

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Worse than animals. Mentally deranged lot.

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mutants !!!!

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Look at their photos. They look like they came straight off the set of Deliverance! - Lundiga, Chicago, 12/13/13, 8:36 PM Agreed...most ignorant-looking bunch of caucasoids I've seen in some time. Animals all...

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Lots of crossed eyes

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How many lives destroyed for something stupid that would have never happened.

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Pure evil

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I bet that in 25 years he will still be on death row...much toi the anguish of his victims family who will never experience closure. RiP Seath- you did not deserve a fate like that!

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I can't wait for his execution day. Yay!

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Is it me or do the pictures of the girl look like two different people? At any rate they all look like thugs. What a horrible thing to do to a human being. Take note that more than a gun was used to kill this young man. The problem with people stems back to no discipline and lack of respect for anyone or anything. Look at the movies, tv shows, music and games that are considered entertainment. A long way from the ok days of Mayberry etc. I fear for my children everyday.

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