Life in prison, plus 24 years, for Randolph girl’s 2005 dismemberment murder:

The convicted killer of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks was sentenced today. Jonathan Zarate received a life sentence plus 24 years.

“You are an evil, vile, despicable killer,” Judge Salem Vincent Ahto told Zarate, who declined to make a statement. “Someone who took advantage of a defenseless, and at the time a confused and disillusioned child. You deprived her of a measure of her dignity by dismembering her.”

So what does life plus 24 years mean? In New Jersey, you would normally have to serve 63 of 75 years before being eligible for parole. In Zarate’s case, he would have to serve 87 years of his sentence before he would be eligible parole. Considering he’s 21 now he would have to live to 108 to even think about getting out. (Source)

I can’t add any better commentary to the sentencing than what the parents of Jennifer Parks said…

“It is said that nothing is ever written in stone, which means that it can be changed, but if you go to the Millbrook Methodist Church Cemetery, you will find Jennifer’s name, birthdate and day she was murdered on a tombstone and that is written in stone forever,” Parks’ mother, Laurie, said at Zarate’s sentencing.

Jennifer’s father, David Parks, cried as he told the court how sickened he became at hearing all the “legal ghouls,” and references to the constitutional rights of Zarate.

“My only child was brutally murdered by this animal,” Parks said. “I wish the death penalty applied in this case still.”

On a personal note, I still send my prayers and condolences to the Parks family.

And to Zarate, I hope you have fun in Rahway you scumbag. The fact that you’re still drawing breath is a travesty of justice.