After Eric Azotea entered a guilty plea to two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Arthur Gibson and Amber Terrell, the judge presiding over the case allowed family members of the victims to address the court regarding their feelings.

Eric Azotea, 46, formerly of the Pinecrest community, was on trial this week on those two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Gibson and Terrell in January 2015. A jury had been seated in the case on Monday and testimony from witnesses began on Tuesday.

After an incident with an inadmissible statement by a witness, the District Attorney’s Office and attorneys for Azotea negotiated a plea agreement in the case. The State had been seeking the death penalty in the case, but under the terms of the plea agreement Azotea would plead guilty to the murder charges and in exchange receive a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Had the trial continued, and the jury found Azotea guilty, family members of the victims would have been given the opportunity to address the court during a sentencing hearing for Azotea.

Because of the plea agreement, no sentencing hearing will be held, but Criminal Court Judge Stacy Street said he felt it was still appropriate to allow the families a chance to be heard.

Members of Gibson’s family noted in their statements how close their family had been to Azotea before the murders.

“Eric, we have known you for quite some time now, even so much as to call you part of our family,” said Mandy Gibson, sister of victim Arthur Gibson.

Mandy Gibson said the most significant question in her mind was why did Azotea kill her brother.

“Why did you take my brother away from his siblings, his children, his friends, and his parents,” she asked Azotea, who did not respond.

Mandy Gibson described her brother as her protector and best friend. “Now that you have taken him away, I know in my heart I will never be the same,” she said. “What you did has broken me and made me realize how cruel the world can truly be.”

In her statement, Mandy Gibson mentioned Azotea’s daughter. “I don’t fault her for you murdering my brother, in fact, my heart aches for her. Because of the wrong choices you made, she will forever suffer and have heartache as well,” Mandy Gibson said.

The court also heard from victim Arthur Gibson’s son, whose name is also Arthur Gibson. The son was 15 years old when his father died and was the oldest of the victim’s three children.

“I really don’t know what to say to you,” the younger Arthur Gibson said to Azotea.

Like his aunt Mandy Gibson, Arthur Gibson spoke of how close his family had been to Azotea.

“I’ve been in that house where you killed my father,” the younger Arthur Gibson said. “I know your family. You know me. You held me when I was a baby. I don’t really get why you could do this to someone you called a friend. I’m not going to sit here and cry because that’s just going to feed your ego, but I don’t really know what to say to you.”

He said he could clearly recall the day he learned his father was missing as well as the day he learned his father was dead.

Members of Terrell’s family also spoke to the court and to Azotea.

“She was no harm to you,” said Sandra Terrell, mother of Amber Terrell. “You shot her in the back. You’re a coward.”

She said that her husband “went to his grave wanting justice” and she feels like now they have justice.

“You are a monster. You need to be put in a cage,” Sandra Terrell continued. “You will be facing the Father that is in eternity. I will forgive you, but I will never forget. May God bless you.”

Amber Terrell’s sister, Ashley Greene, also spoke about her sister’s death.

“The day that my sister went missing is the day my life changed forever,” Greene said.

Greene cried as she spoke of the special bond that her sister had with her young son, and how her child was impacted by the death of his aunt.

“Having to explain to a 4-year-old child that his aunt went to be with Jesus and him asking why is she not coming back and why he can’t see her is something that a mother should never have to tell her child,” Greene said.

During her statement, Greene said she feels Azotea enjoys seeing the hurt he causes other people and referred to his deeds as being cowardly.

“You can sit there with smirks on your face, and you may think that you have won, but one day you will be standing in front of an almighty judge, and you will have to answer for what you have done for all of eternity,” Greene said.

Another of Amber Terrell’s siblings, her older brother Roger Walker, also spoke during the court proceedings.

“As an older brother, I’m supposed to be there to protect my sisters. Obviously, I wasn’t,” Walker said to Azotea. “I know you got kids, and now you’re not going to be there to protect them. And I really hope that nothing happens to them that’s happened to my sister. I hope you think about that.”