John A. Torres

FLORIDA TODAY

They sat separately in the courtroom a few feet apart, never speaking to one another, barely looking up; three lives forever intertwined and forever changed by one stupid, callous decision.

One of them, Daniel Vukovich, had not been seen for a while. Now 18, he showed up in the courtroom for the first time since being attacked and beaten nearly to death with a crowbar last February. He sat emotionless, flanked by his parents in the front row as Jessie Umberger and Rebecca Gotay – both 19 now – pleaded guilty for their part in the ambush attack. Facing first-degree premeditated attempted murder charges, the women instead pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The state allowed the plea in exchange for their cooperation in putting away the third co-defendant, Dylan Thomas, who remains in the county jail.

Gotay and Umberger admitted to conspiring with and then driving 18-year-old Thomas to and from Vukovich's Satellite Beach home where police say he administered such a savage attack that initial reports were that Vukovich had been shot in the face.

There have been no promises regarding sentencing, a point Circuit Judge James Earp made clear to each of the women.

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"This is an open plea. Meaning there is no sentence agreed on. You understand you can be punished by up to 15 years?" Circuit Judge James Earp asked each woman individually. "The conditions of your plea are that you have to testify truthfully and assist law enforcement and appear when requested to do so."

In other words, the more they do to help the state put Thomas away then the better their chances of a more lenient sentence. They will remain free on bond until then. Assistant State Attorney Bill Respess said he is confident the state will be able to resolve the case against Thomas in the next few months, indicating a potential plea as well since there is no trial scheduled.

Umberger wept after entering her plea and wept again outside the courtroom as she offered an apology.

"I'm really sorry for what happened," she said. "If there was anything I could do to take it back, I would."

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It's amazing how everything can change so much for so many people by one stupid decision.

Umberger, Gotay and Thomas were incensed over a few thousand dollars of missing marijuana. They blamed Vukovich and wanted to make an example of him. Mind you, they were never able to prove or confirm that he had stolen their weed. That didn't stop them from plotting to kill him one early morning as the unsuspecting victim left for school.

The cowardly act left Vukovich fighting for his life.

"Ms. Umberger is extremely remorseful for the actions she participated in. This morning she has taken responsibility for those actions," said her attorney Tamara Meister outside the courtroom. "Ms. Umberger will spend a lifetime trying to forgive herself. We will ask the court for mercy and to understand that these were the acts of children."

Their actions were certainly childish. But the trio were already pretending to be adults, living on their own, dropping out of traditional school and spending their time getting high. They wanted to be grown up, But at a certain point you have to put aside childish things.

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Vukovich, wearing a ball cap, left the courthouse without saying a word. His mother said he was doing much better but that they were not going to be making any statements.

The teen has had to undergo multiple surgeries since the attack and as of a few months ago was described by the family attorney as still being "limited." Who knows if he will ever be the same?

Like Umberger, Gotay was asked by Earp to briefly describe her participation in the attack.

"I dropped (Thomas) off and when he was finished I drove him to Jessie Umbereger and they got rid of the crowbar," Gotay said.

The judge asked her if she knew what Thomas had done when he returned to her car.

"Beat him with a crowbar," she replied.

It was the first time Vukovich, Gotay and Umberger were in the same room since before the attack.

Three lives forever linked and forever changed. Two who should be planning college or careers or even families are now convicted felons who will likely spend time in prison. The third hoping to overcome the physical and psychological effects of being their target.

What a waste.

Contact Torres at 321-242-3684 or at jtorres@floridatoday.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FTjohntorres.