A young Montgomery woman has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for her role in brutal 2020 murder of a 17-year-old girl.

Erin Taylor, now 20, was 16 when she was initially arrested on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Lesley Luna Pantaleon.

Taylor is one of four teens charged in Pantaleon’s death.

Pantaleon was reported missing on June 24, 2020, and state authorities had requested the public’s help finding her.

Her decomposed body was found July 4, 2020, in Catoma Creek.

Montgomery police and firefighters responded to the lake on Old Selma Road after receiving a report of a possible body in the water. The teen’s body was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy and later confirmed to be Pantaleon.

Court records show she had been beaten with a metal pipe and stabbed with a knife. Her 2006 blue Chevrolet Trailblazer was stolen, as was her cell phone.

Initially, Taylor, Ta’Niya Merriweather, and Tyeshia Whisenant were arrested on capital murder charges. All three girls were 16 at the time.

Later, police also arrested Keontae Davidson and charged him with capital murder as well. He is now 20 years old.

Taylor pleaded guilty April 1 to a reduced charge of murder.

Davidson entered his guilty plea June 25 and is set to be sentenced Sept. 12.

Whisenant pleaded guilty June 10. Her sentencing date has not been announced.

Merriweather has not yet gone to trial.

“The senseless brutality shown by the defendants in this case deserves the strongest condemnation and toughest sentence,’’ Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said. “I am proud that my office was able to obtain justice for this innocent young girl and her family.”

“Judge Reid sent a strong message with her sentence today and I hope the violent criminals in our community hear it: Montgomery County is not the place to commit violent crime,’’ he said. “If you do, then you are going to get caught, prosecuted, and sent to prison for a very long time.”