A suspect charged with capital murder in a shooting that killed a 20-year-old man three years ago in Montgomery was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey announced Friday.

Marquis Lequan Phillips pled guilty this week to intentional murder in the shooting that killed Dequan Johnson, 20.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Jimmy Pool sentenced Phillips, who was originally charged with capital murder, to life in prison, Bailey said.

“Marquis Phillips deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering Dequan Johnson in cold blood,” the district attorney said in a statement. “However, it’s disheartening to know that we keep losing so many of our young people to these senseless murders. The gun violence that plagues our community is often committed by young men like Marquis Phillips who pointlessly throw their entire futures away because they don’t stop to think before they act.

Johnson was found shot inside a wrecked vehicle on Feb. 16, 2021. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck at a hotel on Express Drive near Troy Highway, the district attorney said.

Detectives quickly identified Johnson and another suspect through the hotel’s surveillance footage.

Phillips and the other suspect, 19-year-old J’Hance Gillium, were captured by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force following a wreck near Thomas Avenue in Montgomery.

Gillium remains in custody and is awaiting trial.

A repeat criminal offender who led police on a car chase after gunning down a Montgomery County man in 2021 will spend the rest of his life behind bars, District Attorney Daryl Bailey announced.

Marquis Lequan Phillips pled guilty this week to shooting and killing Dequan Johnson. Following his guilty plea, Judge Jimmy Pool sentenced Phillips, who was charged with capital murder, to life in prison.