PUYALLUP, Wash. — Two young men involved in the 2024 shooting death of Gianna Stone, 22, during an attempted robbery in Puyallup, were sentenced to prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty in court.
Fatal Night in Puyallup
Police were called to 10th Avenue Northwest around 9 p.m. on February 25, 2024, after reports of gunfire. Officers found shell casings at the scene but no immediate victims. Just ten minutes later, Stone arrived at a Tacoma hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. She later died from her injuries.
After months of investigation, authorities arrested Noah Maurice Loyd Branch (18), Daemeion Carmello Purdy (18), and Ethan Nordgren (19) in June 2024 in connection with Stone’s death.
Sentencing and Emotional Court Statements
In court this week:
- Ethan Nordgren pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 92 months (nearly 8 years) in prison.
- Noah Loyd Branch received a sentence of 114 months (over 9 years) after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter and unlawful firearm possession.
Stone’s mother gave a powerful victim impact statement, expressing her pain and anger:
“I want the defense to know there will be no forgiveness in my mind, body, or soul for you. You are my definition of pure evil with no remorse.”
Both Loyd Branch and Nordgren expressed deep regret:
“From the bottom of my heart, I’m truly sorry to the family and friends of Miss Stone… That life was not ours to take,” said Loyd Branch.
“I was influenced by the wrong things and hung around the wrong crowds,” said Nordgren, asking for “forgiveness and mercy.”
The Investigation and What Happened That Night
Police linked the suspects to the shooting after an officer recognized a vehicle from a serious injury collision that occurred after the homicide. The driver had fled from a traffic stop and crashed near the Washington State Fairgrounds.
According to investigators, the shooting started during an attempted robbery at Sam Peach Park. Stone had been in a car with five friends when the suspects approached with handguns and demanded their belongings. The group tried to flee, and the suspects fired at the vehicle, hitting Stone in the head through the back windshield.
Investigators believe either Loyd Branch or Purdy pulled the trigger, while Nordgren drove behind them with his headlights off, based on probable cause documents. Cellphone data confirmed Loyd Branch and Purdy’s location near the park that night.
What’s Next?
Daemeion Purdy is still awaiting trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 8.
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