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Andy Panton, 23, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole plus 60 years in prison for the murders of Jordan Radway, 23, and Christian Roberts, 24, both of Silver Spring, the office said.
Panton shot both men to death execution style, with their bodies found inside a crashed car in White Oak in January 2019. Panton was previously found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder per the incident, the office said.
“These two young men were literally executed, shot from behind in a car,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said after the verdict. “Sadly, this is yet another instance where a young person’s life is lost here in the county over marijuana."
Montgomery County Police officers responded to a car crash in the 11600 block of Stewart Lane in Silver Spring on January 28, 2019.
Upon arrival, officers found a black 1994 Honda Accord collided with multiple parked cars on the road. Radway and Roberts were found dead inside the Accord, both with gunshot wounds. An autopsy later revealed both men died from being shot twice. Both men were also unharmed.
Investigation revealed Panton murdered Radway and Roberts after an attempted drug deal, the office reports. After speaking other individuals in connection with the incident, investigators later identified Panton as the sole murderer.
“Justice was served but it doesn’t make it any easier for us,” Jordan Radway’s father Peter Radway, said according to WUSA9.
“This part is not over,” Christian Roberts’ father Donald Roberts added. “This part of our lives will be over after Friday and we still have to navigate a whole life of not having our sons around.”
Both Radway's and Roberts' deaths inspired their families to establish charities in their names. Jordan’s Way works to prevent gun violence among youth in the Greater Washington area while the Christian Roberts Foundation works to give shoes to homeless individuals and low-income communities.
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