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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Seth Broomhead has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing two people during a drug deal at an Orem orchard.
The 21-year-old Riverton man pleaded guilty to capital murder in February in a plea bargain that spared him a potential death sentence.
Broomhead was accused of killing Maritza Aguilar, 22, and her boyfriend, Pablo Montoya, 20, on June 13, 2003, while the three sat in a parked car amid a row of trees at the orchard.
Broomhead had arranged to buy $4,000 worth of cocaine from Montoya but intended to steal it, according to testimony by Jeremy Gerton, Broomhead's former roommate who witnessed the slayings.
Gerton said Broomhead was in the back seat of the couple's car when he shot Montoya and Aguilar in the head. Broomhead then stole several hundred dollars from Montoya's wallet but failed to find the $20,000 worth of cocaine that was in a hidden compartment, police said.
Broomhead said Monday that he was sorry and wished it was within his power to undo the murders.
"Sorry isn't anything close to being enough," he said, looking briefly at the victims' families. "I'm sorry I can't do anything. If I could, I would."
Aguilar's older brother, Angel Aguilar, said the family was relieved to have some closure but is still suffering from the loss.
He said of the sentence, "It's appropriate enough, but it will never even come close to filling that void."
Fourth District Judge Samuel admonished Broomhead to make some kind of contribution to society with the rest of his life rather than joining prison gangs or other destructive activities.
"My sorrow goes out to the families in this case. ... I hope (the sentence) provides some solace to the families," McVey said. "I know what a tragedy it is for the families, both the victims' and Mr. Broomhead's."
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
