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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The mother of murder victim Vaughn Kemp cried on her surviving son&#8217;s shoulder as a judge read his verdict.</p><p>Convicted of first-degree murder, Joshua Carlos Ovalles at first showed little reaction.</p><p>After a three-day bench trial, Luzerne County Judge Thomas F. Burke found Ovalles guilty Thursday in the July 7, 2013, fatal shooting of 24-year-old Kemp. He then sentenced the man to to serve life in state prison without parole.</p><p>The 20-year-old displayed increasingly irritated behavior at the hearing, culminating in outbursts about gangster life and his right to free speech as sheriff&#8217;s deputies cleared the courtroom.</p><p>His life sentence will follow a 20-to-40-year sentence he is serving for attempted homicide and aggravated assault in another 2013 shooting. He also was ordered to make $16,103 restitution.</p><p>According to testimony, the men attended a party at 174 S. Grant St., Wilkes-Barre, which migrated from the backyard to the street in front of the house where Ovalles fired several shots into the air before shooting Kemp.</p><p>Speaking after the hearing, defense attorney Peter Moses said he believed in his client and he and his co-counsel Hugh Taylor challenged the evidence as best they could.</p><p>&#8220;We fought hard. We dug in,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We feel like there were a lot of questions in this case that were unanswered.&#8221;</p><p>Moses had long argued that no witness had actually testified to seeing Ovalles shoot at Kemp, and in fact none had until Monday, when Erik Rodriguez, 18, gave testimony which contrasted dramatically with his prior statements.</p><p>Rodriguez testified in 2013 to hearing gunshots while playing video games and looking outside to see Ovalles holding a gun. On Monday he said he observed the entire incident and saw Ovalles shoot Kemp.</p><p>Moses preyed on the altered testimony and other inconsistencies in his closing arguments.</p><p>Assistant District Attorney Mamie Phillips said Rodriguez&#8217;s testimony was the turning point in her case against Ovalles.</p><p>District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis lauded the work of the prosecution team and heaped praise on Phillips, who managed the victory in her first homicide trial as lead prosecutor. Assistant district attorneys Matt Sowinski and Luke Moran assisted Phillips.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re proud to say there&#8217;s another bad guy off the streets,&#8221; Salavantis said.</p><p>Kemp&#8217;s mother, Sherryl Kemp, expressed her satisfaction with the verdict, and offered similar praise of Phillips.</p><p>Both Moses and Taylor withdrew from the case near the conclusion of Thursday&#8217;s hearing. Moses said he expects Ovalles will appeal the judge&#8217;s decision.</p><p>The attorney said his thoughts and prayers are with both the families of the victim and the defendant.</p><p>&#8220;Obviously there are no winners and losers in these situations,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Ovalles_TTL081315Ovalles_jom_12.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ovalles is escorted Wednesday from the Luzerne County Courthouse. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Ovalles_TTL081315Ovalles_jom_12.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ovalles is escorted Wednesday from the Luzerne County Courthouse. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Vaughn_Kemp2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kemp </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Vaughn_Kemp2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Kemp </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By James O&#8217;Malley</p><p>jomalley@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach James O&#8217;Malley at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TL_omalley.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County judge finds Ovalles guilty of first-degree murder, sentences him to life