An Ohio judge has shot a killer who beat his girlfriend to death with a hammer in a case he called “the most brutal murder” he has ever seen.
Sean Goe, 27, was found guilty of murder, assault, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the murder of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Raychel Sheridan, after an intensive four-day trial.
In handing down Goe’s life sentence, Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Frank Forchione provided a scathing summary of his actions.
‘Sir. Go, you have sold your soul to the devil,” he said.
“I have ordered you to receive the maximum sentence on every count because you deserve the maximum sentence. It is without a doubt the most brutal murder I have ever seen.”
The Canton resident viciously beat his girlfriend with the blunt end of a hammer, hitting her at least ten times.
Goe attacked the woman so brutally that police were unable to identify her with a photo.
After fatally beating the then 24-year-old, Goe attempted to cover up the gruesome crime by dumping Sheridan’s body in a nearby park and using bleach to cover his trail.
Raychel Sheridan, 24, was beaten so brutally that police were unable to identify her with a photo
Sean Goe, 27, was found guilty of murder, assault, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the murder of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Raychel Sheridan
Sheridan was later discovered on July 3 after a parks department employee found her body wrapped in plastic and in a trash can at a local city park in Canton.
“To represent the lowest level for human life, you then wrapped the body in a sheet and dumped it in a park near Mother Goose Land,” Forchione said.
“This is the person you once claimed to be in love with. Instead, you threw her in the trash like a piece of trash.”
The day before officials found her body, Sheridan’s mother called police to conduct a welfare check on her at the apartment she and Goe shared.
Lisa Sheridan told police she had not heard from her daughter and then reported her missing.
Upon their arrival, Stark County Sheriff’s deputies noticed the apartment door was open, but no one was inside. However, police reports indicate that the inside of the apartment “looked suspicious.”
Officers then applied for a search warrant, but while they waited, they saw what they believed was Sheridan’s maroon Jeep Liberty driving down the street with Goe behind the wheel.
When police finally stopped Goe, he ran into a nearby wooded area.
Goe was arrested the next morning on active warrants for burglary, theft of a firearm and domestic violence involving Sheridan.
The day before officials found her body, Sheridan’s mother called police to conduct a welfare check on her at the apartment she and Goe shared. Pictured: Raychel Sheridan and Sean Goe
‘Sir. Gosh, you sold your soul to the devil,” Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Frank Forchione (pictured) said before imposing the life sentence.
After fatally striking the then 24-year-old Goe, he then tried to cover up the gruesome crime by dumping Sheridan’s body in a nearby park and using bleach to cover his trail.
“As a result of the search warrant served on the apartment of Raychel Sheridan and Sean Goe, evidence indicative of foul play was recovered,” the release noted, adding: “Detectives have determined that Sheridan is in the apartment murdered.’
Goe was charged with two counts of murder and single counts of assault, burglary, tampering with evidence, grand theft of a firearm or dangerous ammunition and aggravated abuse of a corpse in August, according to online court records obtained by PEOPLE.
He was held on $1 million bond and pleaded not guilty.
After refusing to speak in court during his sentencing in November, Goe sat in silence as Forchione continued to tear him apart, calling the convict “morally bankrupt” without “an ounce of decency.” WKYC reported.
Sheridan’s mother and her boyfriend, Dwyane Scaggs, were also present in the courtroom that day, wearing matching T-shirts with a photo of their daughter on them.
Sheridan’s mother, Lisa Sheridan, and her boyfriend, Dwyane Scaggs, were also in court that day wearing matching T-shirts with a photo of their daughter.
“I used to smile, but you took it all away,” the grieving mother said through tears.
‘She was a real sunflower in our darkest days. You killed our little girl. My question is: why would you do this?’
Goe is eligible for parole after serving 29 years in prison.
‘What you did to us is really bad. I hope you spend the rest of your miserable life in prison,” she added.