Groom SENTENCED to PRISON for the Murder of his Best Man

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]Welcome back everybody to another shocking courtroom episode of Lockdown 23 in1.

[00:00:10]That's right, another shocking courtroom episode. It definitely is. Today we got a groom that was freshly married and on the same night happened to have killed his best man. You can believe how this one turned out. Not to mention, we have courtroom footage of the groom being sentenced for his bad decisions. So, let's get right into it, ladies and gentlemen. If you're new to the channel and enjoy all things lock up and crime related, then this is absolutely where you need to be. Hit that like, subscribe, notification bell before you leave, and check out my playlist with many more videos for you to start watching today. All right, before we get in the courtroom, like I said, let me break down the situation on why this guy's even in there to begin with.

[00:00:48]Traveling down to Michigan, it says a groom and his bride has plead guilty after prosecutors said that the groom ran over the best man on their wedding day. The groom, James Shyra, and the bride, Savannah Kier. Hopefully, I pronounced their names right. They were married August 30th, 2024 at a pizzeria.

[00:01:05]Oh, must be one of those local joints, right? They probably go there every single night. How could something so positive turn into something so negative? If I were to guess during celebratory times, alcohol might have had a little factor to play in this. It continues saying that the celebration later moved to a home where the best man, 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr., got into an argument with the groom, James. After a fight with his girlfriend, caught on camera a short time later, Taylor Jr. can be seen running down the street before being hit by an SUV at high speed. Taylor later died at the hospital. Police said the SUV was driven by the groom of the wedding. James Shyra was charged with seconddegree murder, driving with suspended license, and failure to stop at the scene of a crash resulting in death. According to court records, he pleaded no contest in April as part of a plea deal. Savannah Kier, the bride, was charged with an accessory after the fact to a felony. Prosecutors stated that both the bride and groom fled the scene after the crash.

[00:02:03]>> We think they discussed what they were going to tell the police and we think she's an accessory after the fact.

[00:02:10]>> Savannah Kier was charged for her role in allegedly not cooperating with authorities. According to court records, she plead guilty, requesting to be sentenced under the home's Youthful Trainee Act. If the sentencing request is approved, the criminal charges against her will be dismissed if she successfully completes a term of probation. The bride kier sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 26 at 9:00 a.m. But today, like I said, we're going to witness a groom get sentenced for his crimes.

[00:02:42]Mr. Sher, can I have you raise your right hand?

[00:02:45]Do you swear affirm the testimony you provide today is the truth whole truth and nothing but the truth?

[00:02:48]>> Yes, your honor.

[00:02:49]>> State your name, please.

[00:02:50]>> James Shyer.

[00:02:51]>> Thank you, Mr. Shy. What would you like to say?

[00:02:54]>> Wow, great audio.

[00:02:57]>> As everyone knows me is the crime that was committed on August 30th, 2024.

[00:03:03]I understand that that would be the face of me for the rest of my life.

[00:03:07]But prior to that, I had nothing to do with any criminal activity. Not a gang member, not a criminal, certainly not a killer.

[00:03:22]>> The only thing that I can do for the rest of my life is express my apologies and remorse to the family of Mr. Taylor, Terry Taylor.

[00:03:33]I will forever be sorry.

[00:03:36]It was not intentional and as I've heard throughout the entire time of today what it looks like and it can look like anything it wants to but I know what truly happened that night. It was not attachment. That was my best friend. I spent every waking moment with him riding dirt bikes, riding quads, working on cars.

[00:04:00]Turbo was my best friend. I looked at him as a big brother.

[00:04:06]I understand that that's not going to bring him back and I understand the words that I say today is not going to bring him back. But I accept full responsibility for my actions that night.

[00:04:17]I am truly sorry to the family.

[00:04:21]The only thing that I ask is to just be lenient. That's it.

[00:04:31]>> Thank you, sir.

[00:04:32]>> Thank you, honor.

[00:04:35]Sentencing hearing having been held.

[00:04:36]Defendant stands before the court convicted of seconddegree homicide, operating a with a license revolt causing death and failure to stop at the scene uh of a a a death. There is no prior juvenile record, no prior misdemeanor, no prior felonies. Mr. Shyra, I believe that you are not a criminal.

[00:05:03]>> All right, before the honorable judge continues, let me throw in a few two cents. First off, homeboy still claiming that, you know, it was an accident. For some reason, I'm just not believing him.

[00:05:12]I seen the full video footage for the most part. I didn't show it all to y'all, but it definitely looked like he meant to hit that man. And second of all, look, people killed their best friends all the time. All it takes is one heated argument over a girl, a situation, something. best friend, family member, it doesn't matter.

[00:05:28]>> You are however a killer.

[00:05:33]>> Oh man.

[00:05:34]>> The the the the charge that was brought upon me today and the charge that I put out today does not define my does not define me as a man. It will not define my future.

[00:05:43]>> Sir, the fact that there is a person who is no longer the fact that there is a person who is no longer here means that you are a killer. You killed someone.

[00:05:55]that triggered him a little bit hearing that.

[00:05:57]>> I can't imagine a a circumstance whereby on what is probably supposed to be your happiest day, you have now lost your best friend, you have for all intents and purposes, lost the physical presence of your wife and you murdered someone.

[00:06:21]And the court reviewed that footage and it was shocking to say the least.

[00:06:31]I give you credit for turning yourself in. I give you credit for accepting the responsibility.

[00:06:38]This is part of it. Accepting the responsibility.

[00:06:43]You have to accept the responsibility that there are children who will grow up without a parent because of you.

[00:06:52]Still not no tears yet.

[00:06:56]>> Amen.

[00:06:58]>> I take responsibility for that and I will as long as I his name his name will continue to live on just like along with their family.

[00:07:10]I like I said express remorse and apologies to your family for the rest of my life. For the rest of my life, I'm completely indebted.

[00:07:21]The only thing I ask, >> ly don't go above 225 months, please.

[00:07:26]Your honor, >> what? What did he say?

[00:07:29]>> Thank you.

[00:07:29]>> I believe he said please, your honor, all I ask is don't go above 225 months, which I did my calculations with my calculator and that comes out to about 21 and some change years. Mm. Will the judge, you know, go under or above the 225? And keep in mind, he still ain't got not one tear dropping from his face.

[00:07:49]And there's a reason why I'm pointing that out. All right, I'll break it down here in a second.

[00:07:54]>> Court is going to go above 225 months.

[00:07:58]>> Oh, he ain't been hit. Bobby, chill. Wait.

[00:08:03]Might be suspended.

[00:08:05]>> You cannot take back what happened. I believe >> that you will regret it for the rest of your life. I believe you will be sorry for the rest of your life.

[00:08:15]Your attorney indicated that you will have to live with this for the rest of your life. The key word in that sentence is live.

[00:08:23]There is someone who is no longer living.

[00:08:25]>> There you go.

[00:08:29]>> And this is the the period at which I suppose you could say you man up and take that.

[00:08:39]>> Take it.

[00:08:41]>> Yes, >> I take it. But I, as I said, it was not on purpose. It was not intentional.

[00:08:48]>> I don't believe that you set out that morning seeking to kill someone.

[00:08:50]>> I didn't seek out at that moment to kill anyone either.

[00:08:54]>> We disagree.

[00:09:02]>> You should have done that.

[00:09:05]Sentencing hearing held. Defend stands before the court. No prior felonies. No prior misdemeanor. 24 years of age. This is a homicide, sir. The grace that you were shown or that you're asking the court to show was reflected in this matter being um amended to seconddegree murder and not open murder for which you could have served a sentence of life without parole. You will get out. You will be uh you will have lots of time left in your life.

[00:09:40]Simply put, um the victim in this case doesn't have that and that has to be uh there has to be a consequence.

[00:09:57]You are sentenced to 30 years to life with credit for 618 days.

[00:10:02]>> Believe it.

[00:10:03]>> You will receive credit.

[00:10:05]>> Smell it.

[00:10:06]>> 618 days. There is a crime victim rights fee of $130 and $24 state minimum cost.

[00:10:13]There is restitution, Mr. Ross.

[00:10:16]>> Straight smoke bill. Something comes up, I will notify the court, but I >> to life as killed his best friend on his wedding day.

[00:10:29]>> Court will not address restitution. Uh presumably there is an issue that will be handled by other means.

[00:10:36]>> Council coach That's right, Bobby. Let it fly a little bit on this guy. I don't trust him.

[00:10:44]>> Strike that. Amending the sentence. Uh, the court cannot issue a 30 years to life sentence. Court will issue a sentence of 30 to 40 years.

[00:10:52]>> M, that's decent.

[00:10:55]>> Well, better than life at least.

[00:10:57]>> I'd say he got a win under his belt in some kind of way. It went from 30 to life to the judge saying, you know, he can't do that. So, it's going to be just, you know, in a little 30 to 40.

[00:11:06]You still got plenty of time when you get out, sir. Trust me.

[00:11:09]>> Man, your attorney your notice of appellet rights, Mr. Shy. You'll sign one copy. That copy will come back to the court. You'll keep the other for your records.

[00:11:17]>> That Michigan prison system is tough.

[00:11:19]>> 30 or I didn't fil to 40. Yes.

[00:11:22]>> I think we have to do >> we have to do more.

[00:11:24]>> Do 2/3.

[00:11:26]>> Yeah. 45.

[00:11:27]>> Again, amending the sections 30 to 45.

[00:11:29]Thank you.

[00:11:30]>> Went up to 45 now.

[00:11:34]Damn. Oh boy. Yes.

[00:11:37]>> With respect to count sentence uh as to count one 10 to 15 I'm sorry, count two 10 to 15 years. Count 3 10 to 15 years with credit for 618 days on all uh counts. All counts to be run concurrent.

[00:11:55]That's decent. He got concurrent except consecutive.

[00:11:58]All right, Bobby. Let him breathe. Let him breathe. He's had enough.

[00:12:04]But he didn't break down until he got to 30 years. He should have been breaking down from the beginning speaking about his best friend getting ran over. The only thing this guy cares about to me is himself. Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. And keep in mind, the bride will be sentenced on the 26th unless they get a continuence. But if I were to guess, she's probably just going to get a little bit of probation. And like I said in the beginning, if she does well on that, chances are everything will be dropped. But this is a very sad situation. My condolences go out to the victim's family and loved ones. So, like I say all the time on this channel, man, if there's ever some kind of heated discussion with someone, your friend, loved one, whatever, it's not going to help nothing sitting there feeding into it. Walk away and if need be, run from any of these kind of tumultuous situations. But I'm out of here, ladies and gentlemen. Until the next time, as always, y'all be easy, be safe, and more importantly than anything, stay free.