Sebastian Largo, 31, Thursday was sentenced to nine years in prison for beating to death his 61-year-old father, Sam Largo Sr., and for assaulting a younger brother who tried to help their father.
Sebastian Largo was 27 when he over powered his father on March 2, 2010 at his father’s apartment in the 4500 block of Sprint Boulevard in Rio Rancho. The older man went into a coma and never came out of it, police said. A day after the beating, Sam Sr. was taken off life support and he died.
The Office of the Medical Investigator told police that Sam Sr. died from blunt force trauma, and ruled his death a homicide.
Sebastian Largo had plead no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter, with a possible sentence of up to six years, for his father’s death, and aggravated battery, with up to three years, for assaulting his younger brother.
District Judge Louis McDonald imposed the maximum sentence, citing the severity of the crimes, and ordered that the sentences run consecutively.
Selena Largo, Sebastian’s younger sister, tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence, saying that the family feared Sebastian after years of experiencing and seeing his frequent outbursts, fueled by substance abuse and anger.
After the hearing, Selena Largo said the family was satisfied with the verdict, and spoke tearfully of her murdered father.
“We really loved our dad. He was a great person and he was always there for us,” she said. “I miss him a lot every day.”
Largo briefly addressed the court saying he “really regretted” his actions.
“I’d like to say that I’m very sorry for what I did,” Largo said. “And I would like to say that I’m very sorry to my own family members.”
Roger Bargas, Largo’s attorney, told the court that Largo had a long history of substance abuse, and had been diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia as well as other mental health problems.
Sandoval Deputy District Attorney Kevin Graham said the argument that led to the confrontation between him and his dad centered on the young man’s still living at home, and not going out to start his life on his own. Graham added he was satisfied with the sentence.
Defense attorney Roger Bargas commented, “It’s just such a tragic case.”
