19-year-old getaway driver sentenced to 25 years in deadly Beaverdale robbery

A teenager who acted as a getaway driver during a deadly armed robbery in Beaverdale last year has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Molly Elizabeth Peter, 19, of Des Moines had been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and attempted murder in connection with an April 11 shooting that killed 36-year-old Antonio Quinn and injured Quinn's cousin, 33-year-old Michael Allen James Jr.

Peter pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree robbery, a class B felony, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. She will have to serve at least 70 percent of the 25-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole, per the plea deal. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the other charges against her.

"I want everyone to know that I take full responsibility for my actions," Peter said during a tearful apology given at her sentencing.

Last month, Larry Deandre Ratliff Jr., 26, of Des Moines was found guilty of first-degree murder and willfully causing a serious injury in connection with the shooting. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole earlier this month.

Peter confirmed at her sentencing that she drove Ratliff to a parking lot near Saints Pub and Patio in Beaverdale for a drug deal with Quinn and that she knew Ratliff planned to rob Quinn that day.

Peter said Ratliff got into her car carrying a big gun that she said he told her he intended to use to carry out the robbery. Prosecutors at Ratliff's trial described the gun as an AK-47-style rifle.

Peter said she turned away to smoke a cigarette, but heard gunshots from the direction of the car. After that, Ratliff got back in the vehicle and she drove them away, she said.

Peter was 18 and enrolled as a senior at Hoover High School at the time of the shooting. She said at her sentencing that she plans to finish her high school degree in prison.