GUILTY UT - Angelina Costello, 3, beaten to death, Ogden, 6 July 2017 *Arrests*

[Niner]

Friday, February 3rd:
*Sentencing Decision Hearing for both (@ am MT) - UT - Angelina Costello (3) (July 6, 2017, Ogden) (Starved, burned & beaten to death; weighed 13 lbs.) – *Brenda “Ericka” Emile (22/now 27) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (5/14/18) with 1st degree felony aggravated murder. Plead not guilty; no bail. DA will seek DP. DP was dismissed per plea agreement 8/19/22.
*Miller Eric Costello (25/now 29) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (5/14/18) with 1st degree felony aggravated murder. Both plead not guilty; no bail. DA will seek DP.
Angelina died from a combination of blunt force trauma, burns, starvation & malnutrition. She weighed 13 pounds. Her ribs were visible, her legs & arms thin & covered in bruises. Burn marks on her face & chest were caked with makeup an attempt, Emile later told police, to minimize the severity of her injuries.
Trial was set to begin on 10/3/22 cancelled. Emile plead guilty on 8/19/22 to 1st degree felony aggravated murder & death penalty dismissed per plea agreement. Sentencing on 10/17 thru 10/28. Emile wants to withdraw her guilty plea. Judge DiReda will have a hearing to her motions. Provisional sentencing hearing on 1/23/23.
Trial was set to begin 8/1/22 for Costello only & delayed to 2023 because of intellectual disability evaluation. Trial now set to begin on 1/30/23 & was vacated when Miller plead guilty on 10/7/22. Sentencing phase on 1/23/23 to 1/27/23. Formal sentencing on 2/3/23.
Court info from 7/20/18 thru 1/6/23 & sentencing phase Day 1-3 (1/23 to 1/25/23) reference post #158 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...death-ogden-6-july-2017-arrests.342995/page-8
1/27/23 Sentencing Phase Day 4: Defense (Emile) witness: Lawrence Beall, clinical psychologist, an expert witness.
Closing arguments by Weber County prosecutor Letitia Toombs & by Public defender Jason Widdison. Defense for Emile rested.
For more info see post #159 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...death-ogden-6-july-2017-arrests.342995/page-8
1/31/23 Sentencing Phase Day 5: Defense (Costello): Susan Lehmann to demonstrate mitigating circumstances.
Weber County Prosecutor Letitia Toombs & defense attorney Randall Marshall gave closing arguments. Both sides rested their cases.
for more info see post #160 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/...death-ogden-6-july-2017-arrests.342995/page-8
Second District Judge Michael DiReda will pronounce sentence on Emile & Costello on 2/3/23. Under state law, there are two options for the sentence: 25 years to life in prison or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

 

[Niner]

Judge sees ‘hand of evil’ in toddler’s murder, sentences parents to life without parole

OGDEN — Saying he “sees the hand of evil” in the torture and starvation murder of 3-year-old Angelina Costello, Judge Michael DiReda on Friday sentenced the toddler’s parents, Miller Eric Costello and Brenda Emile, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Calling the pair “monsters,”...

www.standard.net

Feb. 3, 2023

OGDEN — Saying he “sees the hand of evil” in the torture and starvation murder of 3-year-old Angelina Costello, Judge Michael DiReda on Friday sentenced the toddler’s parents, Miller Eric Costello and Brenda Emile, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Calling the pair “monsters,” the 2nd District Court judge at times appeared to choke up as he explained his reasoning for imposing the harshest sentence available rather than the other option allowed by state law, 25 years to life in prison.
[.....]
The parents appeared to react stoically to the sentences. They were seated at opposite ends of a long defense table in an Ogden courtroom after attorneys had warned that there were security concerns. In an outburst during the first day of the sentencing hearing last week, Emile stood and shouted something at Costello.

DiReda began the sentencing Friday by quoting Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
[.....]
In his decades in the criminal justice system, DiReda said he “has never seen this level of depravity and evil.” It was the “ultimate betrayal” of a child and the judge said he “sees the hand of evil” in the parents’ actions.
[.....]
DiReda said neither defendant “has shown remorse or taken responsibility, and that speaks loudly to me. The people who mourn Angelina the most are a bunch of strangers who only got to know her after she died.”

 

[JerseyGirl]

'Dehumanized and tortured by monsters': Judge berates parents for horrific killing of toddler

Brena Emile and Miller Eric Costello were sentenced to life without parole for the horrific torture and murder of their 3-year-old daughter.

lawandcrime.com