Family members of Jonathan Joe Schmeikal delivered emotional victim impact statements Friday, more than two years after their loved one was killed.
Schmeikal, 34, was shot and his body was dumped in the middle of a street in the community of Forest Lawn on Sept. 30, 2015.
Last week, the two men charged with second-degree murder in his death unexpectedly pleaded guilty for their parts in the crime; Jerry Cody Goodeagle pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and Dyson White pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Schmeikal’s mother Henriette said at court Friday that her son’s death has deeply affected their family.
“It has stressed us terribly,” Henriette said. “We are no longer the family we used to be; we are all impacted differently.”
“We all had our heart ripped out, stomped on and he is gone and I just see people that resemble him somehow… when we were in court before I saw somebody with his back to me that looked a little like Jonathan… and the first thing that came to mind was, ‘This is Jonathan.'”
Jonathan struggled with mental health issues
Schmeikal’s father Bernhard also spoke about how their son suffered from mental health issues over the years. He said the family tried exhaustively to get help through the government and authorities.
“His supports came a week or two weeks after [he died], after struggling for years,” he said.
“Now that he’s gone, well, now they don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Bernhard said their son’s murder speaks to a larger issue: the lack of mental health supports for struggling youth.
“The prisons are full of mental health problems and they’re not helping these people.
“This family hasn’t been the same since this happened back in 2015.”
Bernhard said he doesn’t feel that justice has been served for their struggling family.
“The legal system was satisfied, but justice? I don’t feel we have it. We haven’t really seen full justice.”
Sentencing for the two men charged is scheduled to take place on Jan. 19.
— With files from Global’s Gary Bobrovitz