Man gets life sentences in ambush slayings that killed 2, including police officer

June 4 (UPI) -- Elliot Knox must serve two consecutive life sentences for his roles in the ambush murders of Baltimore police officer Keona Holley and a man killed in a separate shooting on the same day.

Maryland Circuit Judge Jennifer Schiffer on Tuesday sentenced Knox, 34, to consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole.

"Today's sentencing of Elliot Knox conveys an unequivocal message that acts of violence, which have afflicted our communities, will not be tolerated," State's Attorney Ivan Bates said in a prepared statement.

"This sentence ensures that Mr. Knox will never be able to harm anyone in Baltimore again," Bates said.

A jury in March found Knox guilty on eight of nine felony charges for the Dec. 16, 2021, shooting deaths of Holley and, hours later, Justin Johnson, 27, in separate shootings.

The guilty verdicts include two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

During Tuesday's sentencing hearing, Knox told Schiffer co-defendant Travon Shaw, 35, claimed Holley was a member of the Black Guerilla [sic] Family and the gang wanted her killed.

At one point during Tuesday's testimony, Knox turned to Holley's family and told them she was a member of the BGF gang.

Knox said Shaw told him Holley and more than 100 Baltimore police officers are affiliated with the BGF and would identify drug dealers for the gang to rob.

He claimed the officers sometimes would take drugs and guns from drug dealers and use them as props for the Baltimore Mayor's Safe Streets program to make it appear to be effective.

He said Shaw shot Holley while she was inside her patrol car on Pennington Avenue. Holley was on life support before she died.

Following the sentence hearing Holley's sister Lawanda Sykes told reporters there "wasn't any truth" to his claims by Holley being a gang member.

After shooting Holley, Knox and Shaw drove to another part of Baltimore and shot and killed Johnson on the 600 block of Lucia Avenue.

Johnson was the father of five children.

Police later recovered a vehicle linked to Knox that surveillance footage showed was being driven away from the area where Holley was shot.

Investigators found two guns inside a home and provided evidence showing one was used in both murders.

Shaw was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.