BRUNSWICK, Md. — A 19-year-old in Frederick County has been sentenced to life behind bars after pleading guilty to raping and murdering a woman last year.
Prosecutors say Juwaun Terry Stewart stabbed and strangled 61-year-old Tammy Sue Coates to death.
The then 17-year-old reportedly asked Coates if she would pay him to clean snow off her car.
When Coates declined, Stewart is believed to have cut off his GPS ankle monitor which placed him at the crime scene.
Coates was discovered dead inside her Brunswick apartment by a family member.
RELATED: Police say teen raped, murdered woman after she turned down offer to clean snow off car
During sentencing Coates' daughter told the judge how losing her mother "is an experience no one should have to experience in their life."
"I will never be the same person after this life altering event," she added.
Meanwhile, Coates' niece expressed how "Stewart will be allowed to serve a single sentence while so many other will serve [their] own sentences because of [his] actions."
"My aunt was finally finding her place in the world and was aspiring to do great things with her life when Stewart robbed her of that opportunity," she added.
Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith said Stewart had a history of criminal acts, as indicated by his court issued tracking device.
"This is an extremely egregious case that would have been death penalty eligible not so long ago," Smith said. "The community needs to understand that some teenagers are capable of extremely brutal and horrific crimes and should be punished according to the crime, not just their age."
As part of his sentence, Stewart is required to register as a lifetime sex offender.
