A Mercer County teenager was sentenced to 30 years in prison after a jury convicted him of murder in February.

Trent Easterling, 18, was found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Tristan Cole in April 2016. Easterling was 16 at the time of the killing. Cole's body was found in a remote area after he did not show up for school.

The defense asked for probation, then for Easterling to be placed in a juvenile detention center. Both requests were denied. The 30-year sentence follows the jury recommendation.

Easterling was facing a possible life sentence.