Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Axe Murder

A Tulsa axe murderer is going to prison for life with no chance for parole.

Israel Trejo pleaded guilty Thursday in an attack that was utterly shocking because the victim was doing nothing but sitting on a couch when Trejo swung the axe with all his force, into the victim’s skull and it was all caught on video.

The case left those in the legal system speechless.

The judge, prosecutor and lead homicide detective are all veterans who have worked thousands of cases and all of them struggled to put this one into words because they say it was so senseless, barbaric and cruel.

Prosecutors say Israel Trejo went to a Tulsa apartment to buy an axe from a man last October, and then for no reason, hit 22-year-old James “Jimmy” Patterson in the head, who happened to be sitting there, eating.

The video shows Jimmy never even saw it coming. Investigators say Jimmy and Trejo didn't know each other and never even spoke before the attack.

The lead detective got emotional when testifying and said it's the worst video the Tulsa homicide unit has ever had to watch.

Jimmy's mom and dad spoke told the judge, they are devastated and have lost a part of themselves, and they never want Trejo to be free again.

They say Jimmy was a young musician who moved to Tulsa from New York and was getting ready to release his first rap album.

"This was one of the most traumatic ones to deal with. The level of brutality, the unprovoked attack, really the demonic aspect of this entire case, is difficult to get out of your head. I am thankful it is over and justice was served,” said Tulsa County First Assistant DA Erik Grayless.

Jimmy's mom says she's thankful to get some sort of justice from this tragedy and takes comfort in knowing her son was an organ donor.