FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — On Friday, a Fairfax County judge imposed a life sentence on a screaming, cursing killer who had fled to Ethiopia in December of 2016 in a failed attempt to escape the long arm of the law.
A jury had earlier this year convicted Yohannes Nessibu of killing a 22-year-old Fairfax County man, and hours later, executing a 22-year-old woman who was friend to the victim and had witnessed the crime.
Moments after Judge Michael Devine sentenced Nessibu, 28, to life, he started screaming. "F- you!" he shouted at the judge. "F- you!" he yelled at the victim's family members, many of whom were already in tears.
"Go to hell!," an uncle of one victim yelled back, before Judge Michael Devine shouted, "Take him out of here!" to deputies who were already racing in to grab the killer and drag him out of the courtroom.
"He would curse the families of two people he murdered. If that's not evil, I don't know what is," said Prize Funk, an uncle who testified on the agonizing impact of losing his niece, Kedest Simeneh.
Victims' family members were overjoyed at the life sentence, but furious that the killer would think he'd get the last word. "When the judge said life, that was a relief, so happy tears coming down," said Sileshi Simeneh, Kidest's father. But when Nessibu cursed him, cursed the judge, and cursed the process, "It was unbelievable. The guy has nothing to hold together," Simineh said.
Jurors convicted Nessibu of manslaughter in the death of Henok Yohannes in what prosecutors say was a dispute over payment for marijuana. They convicted him of first degree murder in the killing of his friend Kedest Simeneh.
After witnessing Henok's death, Nessibu took her to another Fairfax County dead end and shot her to death. Prosecutors say he took her life in hopes of saving his skin.
The next morning, he fled to Ethiopia.
It took three years to get him back, and another four to finally convict and sentence him.
“The families of Kedest and Henok have faced a great tragedy with the loss of their children and siblings at a young age. Their trauma has only been exacerbated by the unusual length of this case, which progressed for seven years due to the need for international extradition, separate trials, and the pandemic,” Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano said.
"No remorse for life. No respect for the court. One day he's going to go out and kill another," said Holly Funk, Kodest Simeneh's cousin.
"He's a sick person. He should not be part of society," said Haile Miriam, a friend of Henok Yohannes.
Nessibu turned down a chance to address the court before sentencing.
His lawyer, Marvin Miller, argued that Nessibu was mentally ill and struggled with impulse control.
But Judge Devine handed him the life sentence for murdering Kedest, seven years for manslaughter in Henok’s death, and then another eight years on firearms charges.
Nessibu, he said, should never again share the same air as the victims' families.