Noting Zavian Chappell’s lack of remorse for killing his wife and nephew two years ago, a Lompoc Superior Court judge sentenced the man to spend the rest of his life in prison, leveling a lengthy term along with harsh words.

On Thursday morning, Judge Stephen Foley handed down the sentence ordering the 62-year-old defendant to a term of 50 years to life followed by two life sentences without the possibility of parole.

In addition to last month’s guilty verdicts for two counts of murder, jurors also deemed as true a pair of sentencing enhancements that Chappell used a firearm to commit the killings on April 30, 2023 in the family’s Lompoc home.

During the trial, Chappell testified about becoming enraged when his wife, a disabled veteran, changed the television to “Judge Judy.” 

Lompoc police officers found 59-year-old Cassandra Chappell (also known as Cassandra Butler and Cassandra “CeCe” Sims) dead inside the home on the 1600 block of West Pine Street, authorities said.

A nephew she had raised, 29-year-old Tyree Sims McPherson, was found on a neighbor’s porch and died two days later due to his injuries from multiple gunshot wounds.

After hearing the victims’ family share about the loss, Foley referred to post-verdict comments to probation officers as Chappell continued to blame his wife and nephew. 

“That was a surprise and a disappointment,” Foley said. 

Deputy District Attorney Jordan Lockey’s descriptions of the defendant’s actions as ruthless seemed appropriate, Foley added.

The judge also noted the victim impact statements made in court and others submitted in writing for the sentencing hearing that described the victims as remarkable people despite challenges.

A large contingent of the victims’ family and friends attended the trial and they showed up at the sentencing hearing with signs and wearing shirts with a picture of the victims.

Lompoc police officers who investigated the case also were on hand for the sentencing.

A combat veteran who served in the Army during Operation Desert Storm, Cassandra Chappell had raised from the age of 4 her special needs nephew, McPherson, who was remembered as a “gentle giant” in love with music and basketball.

Others recalled the victims as loving and giving people deeply rooted in faith and family before being fatally shot by Chappell.

“He showed no mercy as he unloaded bullets into her sickened body as she was lying on the floor,” said LaTwila Frelot, the victims’ sister and aunt.

“You are the poorest excuse for a man,” she added. 

DeVika Stalling said the family continues grieving “the two beautiful souls whose lives were stolen.”

“May your actions haunt you, not because I want you harmed, but because justice demands it,” Stalling added. 

The judge noted the law dictated the sentence of life in prison without parole for the murder charges. 

But the prosecution team, which also included Senior Deputy District Attorney Lindsey Bittner, urged the judge to include the sentencing enhancements. 

“Justice in this case is achieved by the maximum possible sentence,” Lockey said. 

“This case is nothing short of devastating,” she added, recalling the recording jurors heard of the defendant berating his dying wife as she begged for an ambulance. 

Jurors heard the defendant tell her, “you don’t get no (expletive) ambulance. You get to die right here. Tyree gets to die right here.”

Lockey also noted that the defendant continued to blame the victims.

“To this day he’s demonstrated a shocking lack of remorse for killing two people,” Lockey added.

At the end of the hearing, the judge ordered Chappell’s transfer into the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Neither Chappell nor his attorneys, Sydney Bennett and Megan Leisz, spoke during the sentencing hearing Thursday.