Local News

Pair sentenced in city murder case

Payne gets life in prison; Lewis gets 30 to 60 years

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A Philadelphia man who shot and killed two people on May 28, 2020, inside a Beale Avenue residence over a drug-selling dispute has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Blair County President Judge Elizabeth Doyle handed down the sentence Thursday to Isiah "Zay" Payne, 35, who said in court that he was sorry for what happened and has come to grips with serving a life sentence.

"I know you don't forgive me," Payne said as he addressed about a dozen family members and friends of victims Mikal Jackson-Stevenson, 28, of Philadelphia, and Natalie Washington, 52, of Altoona.

"You may not ever forgive me, but I ask that sometime in life, you do forgive me," Payne said.

Payne's life without parole sentence was anticipated in light of the guilty pleas he entered in November to two counts of first-degree murder, just before jury selection was to begin for a trial that could have led to a death penalty sentence.

Co-defendant Onya Lewis, 34, rendered guilty pleas that same day to two counts of third-degree murder for a sentence to be imposed by a judge.

Doyle on Thursday sentenced Lewis to 30 to 60 years incarceration, after a court hearing where family and friends of

Jackson-Stevenson and Washington displayed their anger.

"I'm mad," said Darlene Freeman of Altoona, a friend of Washington's since childhood whose voice grew louder as she spoke from the courtroom witness stand. "You took someone away from me who I needed. I don't forgive you. I don't forgive (Payne) .... And I can't do nothing but yell because I'm so f***ing mad at you."

Loss of mother

Washington's daughter, Desiree Kelly, chastised Lewis for her mother's death and how that loss has affected her family.

"My mother was my best friend," Kelly said. "She brought everyone together ... and you and (Payne) took that away from us ... tore us apart. ... I hope and I pray that you never get a peaceful night of sleep."

Lewis' defense attorney Kristen Anastasi asked Doyle to consider a sentence of 10 to 20 years' incarceration in light of Lewis' tragic life. As she started describing Lewis' abusive childhood, the victim's family and friends began to interject remarks, stating they didn't care.

In response, Doyle asked those who found the remarks to be disturbing to temporarily leave the courtroom, which they did.

Lewis also apologized in court and said she was sorry for what happened.

"You can't say you're sorry," one of the victim's family members said.

"I know it's something they don't want to hear, but I am sorry for what happened," Lewis said.

Longer sentence requested

District Attorney Pete Weeks and First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith asked Doyle to sentence Lewis to 50 to 100 years on the third-degree murder offenses and related charges.

They contend that in 2019 and 2020, Lewis was operating a crack cocaine trafficking business in Blair County, allegedly with Terrance Gaddy, until Gaddy went to jail in Cambria County in early 2020. Thereafter, they said Lewis and Philadelphia supplier Jackson-

Stevenson recruited Payne, then Lewis' boyfriend, to help sell cocaine in the area. While drug sales were set up at Washington's Beale Avenue residence, Lewis and Payne were living in Gallitzin at the time of the fatal shooting.

On the day of the shooting, Lewis drove Payne to the 2600 block of Beale Avenue to Washington's residence where he was to meet with Jackson-

Stevenson about money that Payne owed.

In court Thursday, Payne initially said that what happened wasn't intentional. He described himself as "great friends" with Jackson-Stevenson and friends with Washington.

"I'm not this vicious, hit man or killer," he said. "I acted with the assumption that my life was at risk ... and I'm so sorry for what has happened."

71 seconds

Smith said after the sentencing hearing that Payne's words ring hollow, based on the evidence showing that in 71 seconds -- Payne entered Washington's residence, murdered two people, rifled through the pockets of one of them, robbed him of his money, drugs and cellphone and then left.

"It was an execution," Smith said. "Mikal Jackson-Stevenson was shot in the back of his head and Natalie Washington was shot as she was running away. There was no evidence that Jackson-Stevenson had a gun and posed any threat."

Smith also showed Doyle a convenience store video of Payne and Lewis, a few hours after the fatal shootings, after they fled Altoona and headed toward Cambria County. At the Sheetz store in Cresson, the video showed them making purchases at the counter and conversing with the clerk.

Evidence also indicated that after the shooting, the pair stopped to make a drug sale.

Smith also showed photos that had been removed from Lewis' cellphone, showing her posing with the gun that Payne used to shoot Jackson-Stevenson and Washington. In one photo, Lewis aimed the gun directly at the cellphone camera.

In court Thursday, Lewis sat with her hands folded and a hood over a portion of her head.

Doyle said the 30- to 60-year sentence reflected Lewis's lack of prior record and recognized her willingness to plead guilty and that she didn't pull the trigger.

"What happened should never have happened," Lewis said. "I did not know at the time what happened."

Police said the couple left the area, went to Philadelphia where Lewis left her children with their father, then moved from Gallitzin to Johnstown before driving to Georgia, where they stayed in a hotel for a few weeks. U.S. Marshals took the pair into custody on July 10, 2020, in New Castle, Del., and arrangements were made for their return to Blair County.

Both Weeks and Smith have praised Altoona police, along with other law enforcement agencies, for their investigation and cooperation.

"They gave us a case that was built brick by brick," Smith said. 'The Altoona community should be proud."

Doyle, before pronouncing Lewis' sentence, admitted to being saddened by the events that developed from the buying and selling of drugs.

"I don't think these lives would have been taken away except for the drug selling," the judge said.

Doyle also told the victims' families that she had heard their statements and felt their emotions.

"I know there's nothing I can ever do that will bring back your loss," the judge said.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay

Stephens is at 814-946-7456.