Michigan Man Sentenced to Life in Prison After Brutally Stabbing Father 73 Times Inside His Home
JACKSON, MICHIGAN — A Michigan man who stabbed a 30-year-old father 73 times during a violent confrontation has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Joshua Pirtle, 33, appeared via Zoom for his sentencing hearing, where a judge ordered him to spend the rest of his life behind bars for the killing of Sebastian Igafo-Teo. According to courtroom reports, Pirtle disconnected from the video call while the victim’s family delivered statements, and the judge ordered him to reconnect.
The victim’s mother, Jackie Igafo-Teo, confronted Pirtle directly, telling him, “You stalked him, you harassed him, you threatened him and you stabbed him until he was basically a pile on the floor.”
She added that she had spent “hundreds of hours” in court over the last two years and criticized Pirtle for refusing to appear in person.
Stabbing Occurred After Confrontation Inside the Victim’s Home
The killing took place on Oct. 25, 2023, during a dispute involving Pirtle, his girlfriend, and a mutual friend. Pirtle reportedly made several accusations—claiming debts, infidelity, and even allegations of child abuse—before the confrontation escalated.
When Sebastian Igafo-Teo told Pirtle to leave, he was struck and then violently attacked. The room went dark after someone shouted “Kill the lights,” and a witness escaped the apartment to call the victim’s mother. She and the victim’s father arrived moments later and found their son stabbed 73 times.
The parents immediately called 911.
Suspect Fled in Victim’s Truck and Crashed Into a Home Before Arrest
After the attack, Pirtle fled the scene in the victim’s stolen truck with his girlfriend, 29-year-old Klaira Diann Mishaw. Police located the vehicle, prompting a chase that ended when Pirtle crashed into a house and a utility pole. Both suspects were treated for minor injuries before being arrested.
Investigators later found the victim’s blood under Pirtle’s fingernails and a knife carrying the victim’s blood and hair at the crash site.
Mishaw pleaded no contest to being an accessory to murder and was sentenced to three years of probation.
Jury Convicted Pirtle on All Charges
A jury deliberated for three hours before convicting Pirtle on every charge, including:
- First-degree murder
- Two counts of assault with intent to murder
- Car theft
- Third-degree fleeing and eluding
Prosecutors argued that Pirtle had been posting accusations about the victim for months and came to the home that night intent on killing him.
During sentencing, Pirtle denied responsibility, saying, “We need to find out who really did it,” even as the court detailed the evidence tying him to the attack.
When he attempted to speak over the victim’s mother, she raised her hand and responded sharply:
“I don’t want to talk to you anymore. You’re done.”
A Devastating Loss for the Family
The victim’s mother delivered a powerful statement to the court, describing her son’s final moments and the impact the killing has had on their family. She emphasized that her son had been targeted, stalked, and violently murdered in a place where he should have been safe.
The court agreed that the severity of the attack and Pirtle’s behavior warranted the maximum penalty.
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