The man accused of murdering Johnny Cash's great-niece has pleaded guilty in the case.
Wayne Masciarella had been charged in the 2014 death of Courtney Cash.
He appeared in court Tuesday morning where he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Back in 2014, Cash was found murdered in her Baxter home. According to autopsy results, Cash died after bleeding out from her stab wounds. Cash's boyfriend, Austin Johnson and Masciarella along with her 2-year-old daughter were inside the home the night she was killed.
"Your actions caused Courtney to pay the ultimate cost. You left a tiny little girl to suffer the consequences," Tammy Hoag, Courney Cash family member.
Though Masciarella claims he acted alone, the family believes justice has not been served.
"You and her father put her mother's body in that box," said Hoag..
Cash's body was found inside a box 24 hours after Masciarella allegedly cleaned the crime scene. Johnson was not charged in the case.
"Courts going to accept your plea today and dismiss the other charges in the indictment," said Judge David Patterson, Putnam County.
The maximum sentence for second degree murder is 60 years, and Masciarella will serve the minimum of 15 years in prison.
"I think you should have gotten a life sentence, we were given a life sentence. We don't have her anymore," said Tommy Cash, Grandfather of Courtney Cash.
Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris has released the following statement:
“I am satisfied with the resolution of this case, even though it was investigated by the previous administration. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office has received undue criticism about this investigation. Hindsight is 20/20 and I’m sure some things could have been done differently but at the end of the day, we would still be where we are now. Wayne Masciarella said from the very beginning of this investigation that he stabbed Courtney Cash. He did not implicate anyone as being involved in the stabbing and he took responsibility for the death of Courtney Cash. Today, Wayne Masciarella is again taking responsibility for the death of Courtney Cash by entering this plea of guilt. I am glad that we can put this behind us and move forward without delaying justice any further.”
