TROY – Judge Stacy M. Wall, of Miami County Common Pleas Court, sentenced Sean Christopher Higgins, of Troy, who is accused of murdering his roommate, to life without parole on Monday, Dec. 12.

Higgins, 26, was charged with aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse, two counts of tampering with evidence, grand theft of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property.

Higgins received life without parole for aggravated murder, 12 months for gross abuse of a corpse, 18 months for tampering with evidence, 18 months for tampering with evidence, 6 months for grand theft of a motor vehicle, and 6 months for receiving stolen property, which will all be served concurrently with 242 days of jail time credit.

Wall commented that Higgins went “from a model citizen to I murdered my roommate,” which she said, “doesn’t happen” and that according to testimonies from Higgins’ family is “a complete shock to everyone.”

Wall repeatedly stated how Higgins had been planning the murder of Easton Ho for a year while maintaining the personality that Higgins’ family described. She said, “The thumb was in the bedroom while you were consoling [Ho’s girlfriend].”

Wall finished her statements by providing a quote from an interview with Higgins where he said, “It is what it is. I still believe he deserved it.”

Higgins went on to say how he “protects the people he cares about” and that Ho was “treating his girlfriend terribly.”

Higgins entered a guilty plea in October 2022 following two competency hearings which found him fit to stand trial.

On Monday, Dec. 5, Wall heard testimonies regarding the case in order to determine the appropriate sentencing for Higgins. Higgins was facing either life without parole or life with parole after a minimum of 25 years.

Various testimonies from Troy Police officers provided information on the murder of 25-year-old Ho, who shared a residence with his girlfriend and Higgins. The testimonies also demonstrated how the police found Higgins a suspect which led to Higgins confessing and providing information on where Ho’s body could be found.

Ho’s body was found with over 60 wounds in Randolph County, Indiana.

For more information on the testimonies heard, visit miamivalleytoday.com/sentencing-hearing-for-murder-suspect/.