BOWIE, Md. -- A man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to killing three men at a Bowie restaurant in January.
Karlief Moye, of Silver Spring pled guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three county of us of a handgun in connection with the incident that happened inside of the Blue Sunday Bar and Grill in Bowie on January 29.
Moye, who was working as a bartender at the restaurant got into an argument with Jin Chen, Sherwood Morgan, and Xue Xin Zou regarding compensation for the work he had done. Shortly after that argument, Moye went back to the office where the three men were, pulled out a handgun and shot them. He took the money that was on the desk and then fled the scene, authorities said.
The entire incident was caught on a surveillance camera inside of the restaurant.
Moyes received three life sentences for each person he killed.
On Monday, the state's attorney's office released video of the moments leading up to the shooting. It shows convicted killer Moye coming in not only once, but twice to a back office of the restaurant.
The third time he walks in he has a gun and Moye shoots the owners Jin Chen, Zue Xin Zou and restaurant manager Sherwood Morgan. It's a loss still hitting hard for Sherwood's mother Rosa Morgan, who came all the way from Mississippi for Monday's sentencing.
"So much has happened to me this year. I have been down to nothing," said Rosa Morgan.
Jin Chen's wife also gave a victim's impact statement. Using a Chinese interpreter, she told the court that her family is now in chaos after the murders. She said her 3-year-old son no longer has a father.
Moye got up and spoke for more than an hour on Monday. He spoke of his depression, mental illness and abuse he suffered as a child. The defense also brought in multiple experts to talk about Moye's traumatic brain injury that he suffered in 2014 when he was attacked by a cinder block.
The video shows Moye stepping over the victims after shooting them to grab money and then took what he thought was the surveillance system. The video shows him pouring water over it and shooting it multiple times.
The judge called Moye a cold and calculated individual and said she could not unsee the video. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.
Byron Morgan, the brother of victim Sherwood Morgan could not be at the sentencing. He sent the following victim's impact statement to share his grief:
"Good morning,
My name is Byron Morgan of Baton Rouge Louisiana I’m the youngest brother of Sherwood Morgan, One of the three victims of the Blue Sunday’s Bar and Grill In prince George County Maryland.
Words cannot express the feeling of hurt and sadness and grief when I learned of the passing of my brother Sherwood who was such a great asset to our family to his friendship and community. Sherwood was a lovable and exceptional young man, with the promise of a wonderful bright future.
This senseless act of violence Has totally devastated my life and the lives of so many others. I have not been able to rest well and have had to Undergo expensive grief therapy. I also believe that it is the cause of separation and division within our family. It has only been the grace of God to have gotten us through this far and still look to find ways to cope and accept what has happened to our dear love one.
It is also my prayer that the court will give the defendant The maximum sentence under the law so that we can rest a sure that he will never be able to do such a horrific act to another family ever again. Certainly we solicit the prayers of so many people who have stood with us in the passing of our dear beloved Sherwood. We stand on God’s word in Galatians chapter 6:7.
Thank you with kind regards I am sincerely,
Byron Morgan"
