Reader comments
Woman's killer to spend 20-plus years in prison

This is not right. he took a life! and was a gang memeber, thats sending out the message to other gangs. go ahead with your shootings utah will look the other way. its a shame. I cant even come up with the words to say just how bad our system is!

The judge was right when he said the gang was not present. Gangs, a tool of Satan, will abandon yoou each and every time. They use you, chew you up and spit you out and then leave you behind. Gang are the most cowardly, remorseless, scum of the earth. They are the Gadiantion Robbers of our time.

You call 20-to-life looking the other way? The guy will be 40 by the time he's even up for paroll, and even then, its not like paroll's a sure thing.

Is rehabilitation and reformation possible for a guy like this? I don't know, but it'll be up to a paroll board to decide in some 20 years.

Glad you're not in charge.

The sentence was for 20 to life but the judge ordered him to serve 30 beore he would be able to get parole, making him 50 if he gets out. Right I could not agree with you and the judge more. A gang family will not stand behind you when you have been arrested for doing their dirty work. The only thing they watch for is to make sure you do not rat out any of the others that they still have use for. My sympathies for Ashley Sparks and her family.

The judge did the right thing. He was a kid, and until you have been locked up, you can't imagine how long 20 years is...

Another thing, hislife will never be normal. HE will be a felon. There is a price to pay past prison time.

As a defense attorney I feel the judge made the most just and the most compassionate decision possible. The judge - not the rest of us who only see the case in media snippits - had a lot more information to weigh. A life was taken - but why make it two? The parole board will decide if Alvey has not only sufficiently paid his price (losing his freedom during the prime years of his life is a heavy price) but also if his attitude and history of behavior since sentencing merits giving him a chance to be productive. My deepest sympathy and regard to Ashley Sparks and her family; I hope they can heal and move on.