CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — Clayton Eli Watts stood with his head bowed and his hands cuffed in front of a judge Wednesday afternoon.
"I know what I did was wrong, and I'm willing to take my punishment," he said before being sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In January 2013, Watts picked up Marqueas Buchanan and Shaiderius Cohen and drove them to Watts' home, where they cut the phone lines, then waited to ambush Jimmie and Mack Paul and kill them.
Watts had been talking about it at school with Buchanan for months. He said he wanted them dead because they were too strict. They took his driving privileges away and didn't let him play video games as often as he wanted. They also got on him about his grades at school.
On the night of the murder, Jimmie Paul came home first and was shot in the chest and killed in her kitchen. Watts had given Cohen his grandfather's handgun and Buchanan his 9 mm handgun. Paul was shot while Watts reclined on his bed in his room with headphones on.
Mack Paul came home but immediately went behind the house to work on a boat. That act likely saved his life. Both Buchanan and Cohen ran before they could kill him.
Past coverage:
- Family, friends say final goodbye to grandmother killed Tuesday
- Sheriff: Teen arranged to pay 2 others to kill grandparents
- Sheriff: Third person arrested after killing of Chester Co. clerk of court
- Deputies: Chester Co. clerk of court employee shot, killed at home
Buchanan pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon and broke down in tears. Family members said his being involved in something like this is still shocking to them.
He apologized to the court while wiping his eyes and staring at the ceiling.
"I'm sorry for my actions. I just hope some good can come out of it," he said.
Buchanan was also sentenced to 30 years in a negotiated plea deal.
Mack Paul has not attended any recent court appearances in the case and was not present Wednesday. The solicitor said he was in agreement with the negotiated sentence. Cohen, who was the shooter, is expected to be sentenced on Thursday.
Channel 9 reporter Greg Suskin was in the courtroom live-tweeting updates throughout the day. Be sure to follow him on Twitter.
Breaking: Marqueas Buchanan sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2013 murder of Jimmie Paul in Chester County.
— Greg Suskin (@GSuskinWSOC9) June 10, 2015Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
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