Mesa man who fatally shot killer of his brother and uncle sentenced to 16 years
A man who was arrested in Mesa in 2022, after fatally shooting the person who had killed his brother and uncle, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Court documents say Victor Silversmith, who was 24 at the time, shot and killed 21-year-old Salvador Morales at an apartment complex near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road on Aug. 29, 2022.
Documents say Victor witnessed Morales shoot his brother and uncle, Micah and Greyhawk Silversmith, inside Victor's apartment before Victor shot Morales multiple times in the adjacent parking lot. It was unclear what Morales's motive was for the shooting.
Silversmith called 911 to report the shootings as did a woman who was Morales’ girlfriend and Micah’s ex-girlfriend, documents say.
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Police declared Morales and Greyhawk Silversmith dead at the scene, while Micah Silversmith died at a hospital days later. Documents say Morales’ girlfriend told police neither she nor Morales possessed a firearm, but police later recovered a pistol with an extended magazine in her truck.
Victor Silversmith surrendered to police without incident and told his sister that he had killed Morales in front of officers. Documents say Silversmith recorded the shooting to show his brother that he had killed Morales.
“Certainly, there was time for reflection when Mr. Silversmith was walking back and forth from the apartment to the parking lot,” court documents say. “However, whether Mr. Silversmith was in fact reflecting on the decision to kill, having moments earlier witnessed the carnage of his brother’s and uncle’s executions, does not fit the general fact pattern of cold-blooded murder.”
Documents say Silversmith later expressed remorse over killing Morales.
Court documents also say Silversmith had no prior felony convictions and had completed drug counseling after being on probation for cocaine possession. Documents say Silversmith plans to earn a GED and obtain training to become a welder once he’s released.
Members of Silversmith’s family, including his mother, sister and stepfather, submitted letters to the judge urging them to give him the shortest possible sentence. In one of the relatives' letters, they describe Silversmith's son asking his father when he will be able to come home.
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They describe Silversmith as a loving father despite not having the easiest childhood himself. They also said he was one of the main caregivers for his grandmother, who suffered a stroke in April 2020 and is partially paralyzed.
Initially charged with first-degree murder, Silversmith pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He was credited for the 383 days he had already spent in jail.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man who fatally shot killer of his brother, uncle sentenced to 16 years
