Montana man sentenced to 70 years in exchange student’s death

Markus Kaarma stands in Missoula County District Court in Missoula, Mont., where Judge Ed McLean sentences him to 70 years in prison for the shooting death of German exchange student Diren Dede. Kaarma shot 17-year-old Dede, who was unarmed, last year after he was alerted by motion sensors in his garage. Witnesses said Kaarma fired at the teen four times. less Markus Kaarma stands in Missoula County District Court in Missoula, Mont., where Judge Ed McLean sentences him to 70 years in prison for the shooting death of German exchange student Diren Dede. Kaarma shot ... more Photo: Kurt Wilson / Associated Press Photo: Kurt Wilson / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Montana man sentenced to 70 years in exchange student’s death 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

MISSOULA, Mont. — A Montana homeowner was sentenced Thursday to 70 years in prison, with no parole for at least 20 years, in the shotgun killing of a German exchange student who was trespassing in his garage.

District Judge Ed McLean said Markus Kaarma was hunting, not safeguarding his home, when he shot 17-year-old Diren Dede early one April morning.

“Here you have a 12-gauge shotgun, not to protect your family but to go after someone,” the judge told Kaarma. “And go after someone you did.”

A Missoula jury convicted Kaarma, 30, of deliberate homicide in the case that caused an outcry in Germany and brought scrutiny to Montana’s law allowing the use of deadly force in some situations to protect home and family. Kaarma faced between 10 and 100 years in prison.

He shot Dede, who was unarmed, after being alerted by motion sensors in his garage. Witnesses said Kaarma fired at the teen four times, striking him twice.

Dede’s father, Celal Dede, said of the sentence: “It is justice. I am not happy. My son is dead.”

He and his wife attended the entire trial, and he flew back from Germany for Thursday’s hearing.

Kaarma sat staring down during much of the proceeding, occasionally glancing around the crowded courtroom.

“I’m sorry my actions caused the death of Mr. Dede,” Kaarma told the judge.

Before handing down the sentence, McLean heard testimony from Kaarma’s girlfriend, a detective, the teen’s host parents in Missoula and others.

Kaarma’s mother, Chong Kaarma, pleaded for leniency for the sake of her grandson, asking the judge to let the boy have his father as soon as possible.

She apologized to Celal Dede from the stand. He replied from his front-row seat: “Why did you wait? Too late.”